Things You'll Need

Instructions

1

Organize the books by subject matter or genre. Divide the books so that it is easier to group them on your inventory list by categories and make note of any duplicates you may own.
2

Make a list. Either on a piece of paper or on a computer spreadsheet, enter the titles and authors of all the books in your collection. If you have a large library, entering the information on a computer makes cataloging your books much easier.

If you are using spreadsheet software, like Microsoft Excel, you have the option of creating multiple pages for each genre and multiple columns for categories such as titles, authors, borrowed books and dates. The software can also alphabetize your books by title or author.
3

Check off all books that you have read so that when you review your catalog, you will easily spot the ones you need to read.
4

Highlight the books you loaned out to family or friends. Create a column that lists who borrowed your book and indicate the date you loaned it out. Once they return the book, you can remove the highlighted mark and erase the date.
5

Use a book cataloging software program if you're short on time. Software programs such as Book Collector (collectorz.com/book) and Readerware (readerware.com) will automatically create your book database, complete with graphics, cover art and online tools to customize your library. All you need to do is key in the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or author and book title.
6

Ultilize websites such as Shelfari (shelfari.com), Goodreads (goodreads.com) and the LibraryThing (librarything.com) to keep track of your books. Touted as social networking sites for book lovers, these websites require that you register as a member before you can recreate your book collection virtually. Besides cataloging your library, you can also review books, find out what your friends are reading and even get special deals on book purchases.
7

Print a report. Whether you are using your own system, a catalog software program or an online resource, print out a hard copy of your book list so you have it handy when needed. This way, you can make changes on the paper copy and update your database on the computer when you have time.