Photograph the details you will want later
- Cover, title page and copyright page
- Author, title, publisher, edition and printing
- Binding and dust-jacket condition, recorded separately
- Signatures, inscriptions, known provenance and shelf location
Review, then save
Add clear photos in samla.ai and review the suggested identification. Correct anything uncertain and add the details you know. Some information comes from labels or close-ups; some comes from living with the item. Save the room, shelf or box where you keep it.
Work through a manageable group, then stop when you feel done. You can return to research an uncertain detail later. A useful first pass gives you photos, a name and a place; it need not answer every question.
Keep it useful as the collection changes
Use shelf names that make sense when you are standing in the room. Add notes about loans and update the location when a book moves. “Somewhere upstairs” can retire gracefully.
Do I need to finish the whole collection at once?
No. Start with one shelf or box, save useful details and continue when you have time.
