Are you currently using our Book Collector desktop software for Windows or macOS? Then please consider switching to the Book Connect web-based software.
Currently, Book Connect is our recommended and most popular book database solution. Full-featured but easier to use and easier to manage, that is, compared to your current desktop software.
Trade-in offer:
Switch to Connect and get 4 months FREE!
To help you decide, we have a sweet deal for you:
If you switch to Book Connect now, we will trade-in your remaining Book Collector subscription days and will transfer them to the Connect edition, plus we will add 4 extra months for FREE!
Of course, your existing data will be preserved, all you need to do is make sure your CLZ Cloud is up-to-date (in Book Collector, just use Sync with CLZ Cloud one more time). All your data will then be instantly available in Book Connect!
Ready to make the switch? Here’s how to:
- First, make sure your CLZ Cloud is up-to-date.
Start Book Collector, then from the CLZ Cloud menu, choose Synchronize. - Then, login to your account at my.clz.com.
- Finally in the Book Collector box, under “Trade-in offer”,
click the button that says “Switch me over!” and follow instructions.
Try Book Connect free for 7 days
Of course, you can try Book Connect first. Here’s how:
- First, make sure your CLZ Cloud is up-to-date.
In Book Collector, just Sync with CLZ Cloud. - Now login to Book Connect here with your existing CLZ Account.
This will automatically start your 7-day free trial.
What exactly is Book Connect?
Book Connect is an alternative to the Book Collector software, for use on computers. Whereas your current Book Collector is downloadable software that you install on your own PC or Mac, Book Connect is fully web-based, with the software running on our servers and your data stored in the CLZ Cloud.
Connect has been around since 2009 and offers all the features and customization options you need to manage your book collection.
To use the Book Connect software, you just login to the Connect website with your web-browser, from any computer. No need to install software on your computer, no need to ever update software anymore, no need to manage database files, images files, backups, etc.. We manage it all for you.
Of course Book Connect offers everything you need to manage your book collection:
- Add books by author and title or by scanning ISBN barcodes.
- Edit books to customize details and cover image or to add personal info.
- Available fields in the Edit screen:
- Main tab: Author, Title, Sort Title, Sub Title, ISBN, Pages, Format, Publisher, Publication Date, Country, Language, Genres, Subjects, Series, Issue No, Volume, Box Set, Collection Status, Index, Quantity, Location,
- Details tab: Edition, Printed By, Paper Type, Printing, First Edition (yes/no), Dust Jacket (yes/no), Number Line, Width, Height, Cover Price, Extras, LC Control No, LC Classification, Dewey, Original Title, Original Subtitle, Original Country, Original Language, Original Publisher, Original Publication Date.
- Credits tab: Editor, Illustrator, Cover Artist, Photographer, Foreword Author, Translator, Ghostwriter, Audiobook Length, Audiobook Abridged (yes/no)
- Personal tab: Condition, Owner, Read (yes/no), Read Date, Purchase Date, Purchase Store, Purchase Price, Current Value, Notes, Rating, Signed By, Tags
- Other: Plot, Front Cover, Back Cover, Website Links
- Edit multiple books in one go, for making changes to many books quickly.
- Manage multiple sub-collections as tabs at the bottom.
- Image View, Card View, customizable List View, multi-field sorting, etc…
- Group books into (multi-level) folders in the folder panel, by Author, Publisher, Genre, etc..
- Choose from multiple Skins and Templates
- Sync your book database with the CLZ Books mobile app.
- Print lists using the fully customizable Print to PDF tool.
- Also: Manage Pick Lists, Loan Manager, Statistics, Find Duplicates, CSV Export/Import, Backup/Restore, Field Defaults, etc..
Book Connect pricing
The price of Book Connect is either US $2.95 per month or US $29.95 per year, the same as your Book Collector software. Note that Book Connect is subscription software, so you always need an active subscription to use it.
Why switch to Book Connect?
These are the main advantages of Book Connect (compared to the Book Collector desktop software):
- Easier to manage:
No need to install or update software on your own computer, no need to deal with database files, image files, settings files or backup files. The software and data is on our servers, we manage and update it for you, we even make daily backups of your data. - Easier to use:
The Connect user interface is slick and modern, designed to be as clear and easy-to-use as possible, while still providing all the power of the desktop software.
Click here for lots of Book Connect screen shots. - No more problems with Windows/macOS configurations and 3rd party software:
Connect is basically “just” a website you go to with your browser, so no more problems with file and folder permissions or OS updates, no more conflicts with 3rd party products like firewall programs, security software, virus scanners, cloud storage tools (Dropbox, SkyDrive, etc…). - Fast and smooth:
Connect is a more lightweight solution, that runs fast and smooth on any computer, even with very large book databases. All you need is a reasonably fast internet connection. - Use on multiple computers:
Work on your database from any online computer or mobile device. No need to install software, no need to sync your data back and forth. Just login and instantly work on your up-to-date CLZ Cloud data.
Got a new computer? No need to transfer software and data, just login and go!
8 signs that Connect would be a better solution for you
Do you recognize yourself in these statements?
- You think of yourself as “not very computer literate”.
- You dread running updates, for fear of losing data or running into problems.
- You have indeed lost data or images in the past.
- You have indeed have run into conflicts with your firewall or security software.
- You have database files, image files and backup files scattered all over your computer.
- The name of your database file is “Backup of Backup of Backup of mycollection …”.
- You’re using Book Collector on multiple computers and sync between them.
- You are using (or would like to use) Book Collector on Windows AND macOS.
However, Book Connect is not going to work for you if you:
- need to catalog and link to local ebook or audiobook files on your local computer.
- customize or manually enter your own Character list or Content lists.
- need User Defined Fields (consider using Notes and Tags).
Why do we like to see you switch?
Given the great trade-in deal we are offering you, it is probably clear that we would like to see most users to switch to Connect. Here’s why:
- Fewer problems, fewer support questions:
Connect being web-based means it is way less prone to computer or configuration specific problems, which means fewer support questions. Giving us more time to work on the software! - Easier to help you:
And even if you do run into a problem, it is much easier for us to help you, as we can login to your account and see what you see. We can even fix data problems for you, remotely. - All users are always on the latest version:
So when dealing with support questions there’s no confusion about software versions, no problem reports about bugs that have already been fixed. - Quick bug fixes without releasing new software:
In case of problems or bugs, we can easily and quickly fix bugs, without having to release new builds, without users having to download updates. - Development is faster and easier:
In general, web-based development is faster, easier and gives us complete flexibility to design the user interface exactly as we like it to be, without the constraints of Windows or macOS or PC/Mac development tools.
Common questions about Connect
- Q: Can I still use my CLZ Books mobile app with Connect?
A: Yes definitely, nothing changes there. Book Connect is only a replacement for your Book Collector desktop software. You can keep using CLZ Books as you always did, syncing it with the CLZ Cloud.
- Q: Does using Book Connect mean I need to be online to access my book list?
A: Yes, that is correct. Book Connect is basically a website that you to log in to, so you need a stable and reasonable fast internet connection to use it.
- Q: If I switch to Book Connect, what happens if my subscription expires?
A: Connect is actual subscription software, so you always need an active subscription to use it. If your subscription expires, you won’t be able to add or edit books anymore.
Don’t worry, your data will not be deleted, we will keep your data in the CLZ Cloud, you can still see it, browse it, export it, make a local backup, etc…
- Q: With Book Connect, can I still make local backups of my data?
A: Sure you can. You can make local backups with the Backup feature, or export you data to a CSV for XML file.
- Q: Do you offer the same Trade-In offer for all Collector desktop programs?
A: Yes, definitely, the same Trade-In offer holds for all your Collector programs. In fact, if you are gonna switch, I recommend switching for all of them in one go!
- Q: What if I am already subscribed to Book Connect?
A: In that case, the Trade-In offer is still applicable. We can still transfer your remaining Book Collector subscription days to Connect, so that you can switch to using Book Connect ONLY and save some money.
Still got questions or concerns? Just contact us!
Finally, if you have any questions or concerns about Book Connect, contact us here and we will get back to you ASAP.
Need more help with this?
Don’t hesitate to contact us here.