Learn how to build your personal library by uploading PDFs and adding books from the Universal Library
Adding Books to Your Bookshelf
iChatbook offers two ways to add books to your personal bookshelf: upload your own PDFs or add books from our Universal Library.
Uploading Your Own PDFs
Quick Upload Method
- Click the "+ Add Book" button in your library
- Drag and drop your PDF file or click to browse
- The system automatically extracts book information
- Review and confirm the details
- Click "Upload" to add to your bookshelf
Detailed Upload Process
For better organization and searchability:
- Navigate to My Library from the dashboard
- Click "Upload New Book"
- Fill in the book details:
- Title (required)
- Author(s) (required)
- ISBN (helps with metadata)
- Publication Year
- Category/Genre
- Description
- Cover Image (optional)
- Select your PDF file (max 50MB)
- Choose processing options:
- Standard Processing: Balanced speed and quality
- Deep Processing: Better for complex layouts
- Click "Upload and Process"
Processing Status
Your uploaded book goes through several stages:
- 📤 Uploading - File transfer in progress
- ⚙️ Processing - Extracting and analyzing text
- 🔍 Indexing - Creating searchable content
- ✅ Ready - Available for chat
Processing typically takes 1-10 minutes depending on book size.
Adding from Universal Library
Browse and Add
- Navigate to the Universal Library
- Browse categories or use search
- Click on any book cover
- Select "Add to My Library"
- The book is instantly available for chat
Quick Search Add
- Use the search bar at the top
- Type book title, author, or ISBN
- Click "Add" next to search results
- Book appears in your bookshelf immediately
Organizing Your Books
Using Collections
Create themed collections to organize your books:
- Select books using checkboxes
- Click "Add to Collection"
- Create new collection or add to existing
- Name your collection (e.g., "Business Strategy", "Personal Development")
Adding Tags
Make books easier to find with tags:
- Click on a book to open details
- Select "Edit Details"
- Add relevant tags separated by commas
- Save changes
Categories
Assign books to categories for better organization:
- Fiction
- Non-Fiction
- Business
- Technology
- Self-Help
- Science
- Biography
- History
- Philosophy
- Psychology
Managing Book Details
Editing Book Information
- Click on a book in your library
- Select "Edit" button
- Update any field:
- Title and author
- Description
- Category
- Tags
- Cover image
- Click "Save Changes"
Adding Book Covers
Enhance your library's visual appeal:
- Click "Change Cover" on any book
- Choose method:
- Upload custom image
- Search online covers
- Generate with AI (Pro feature)
- Adjust and crop if needed
- Click "Apply"
Bulk Operations
Multiple Book Upload
Pro users can upload multiple books at once:
- Click "Bulk Upload"
- Select multiple PDF files
- Review extracted information
- Edit details if needed
- Click "Upload All"
Importing Reading Lists
Import your existing book lists:
- Click "Import" in your library
- Choose format:
- CSV file
- Goodreads export
- Text list
- Map fields to iChatbook format
- Review and confirm
- Books are added to your wishlist
Best Practices
For Optimal Processing
- ✅ Use text-based PDFs (not scanned images)
- ✅ Remove unnecessary pages before uploading
- ✅ Use descriptive filenames
- ✅ Verify book details after upload
- ✅ Add tags and categories immediately
Organization Tips
- Create collections for different topics or projects
- Use consistent tagging conventions
- Regularly review and clean up your library
- Archive finished books to save space
- Keep original PDFs as backups
Troubleshooting
Upload Issues
Problem: "File too large"
- Compress PDF using online tools
- Split into multiple volumes
- Remove unnecessary images
Problem: "Processing failed"
- Ensure PDF contains actual text
- Try Deep Processing mode
- Check PDF isn't password protected
Problem: "Book not found in Universal Library"
- Try alternate spellings or editions
- Search by author name
- Request book addition via feedback
Storage Limits
- Free: Unlimited books
- Pro: Unlimited books with priority processing
- Enterprise: Unlimited shared books with admin controls
Next Steps
Now that you've added books to your bookshelf: