Help & Documentation

Rating System
Rate and sort your books

How to Rate Books

  1. Open any book detail page
  2. Find the "Rating" card
  3. Click stars to rate (1-5)
  4. Hover to preview, click same rating to clear

Sort by Rating

Use the "Sort By" dropdown on the Books page to sort by highest or lowest rating.

📤Export & Import
Move data in and out

CSV Export

  1. Go to "My Books" page
  2. Click "📥 Export CSV" button
  3. File downloads automatically

CSV Import

  1. Click "📤 Import CSV"
  2. Download template or use your CSV
  3. Upload and review results
💾Backup & Restore
Protect your data

Create Backup

  1. Click "💾 Backup & Restore"
  2. Click "💾 Create Backup"
  3. JSON file downloads with all data

Restore Modes

  • Merge: Add backup to existing data
  • Replace: Delete all and restore

💡 Tip: Create backups before major changes!

🔗Collections & Sharing
Organize and share books

Create Collection

  1. Navigate to Collections page
  2. Click "+ Create Collection"
  3. Add books and set visibility

Share Collections

  1. Set collection to "Public"
  2. Click "🔗 Share" button
  3. Link copied to clipboard

🔒 Your personal notes are never shared publicly

💡Recommendations
Discover books you'll love

How It Works

Rate books 4-5 stars and the system recommends similar books from your library based on genres and authors.

View Recommendations

  1. Rate books with 4-5 stars
  2. Go to Dashboard
  3. Scroll to "💡 Recommended for You"
Quick Tips
Pro tips for power users
  • Create weekly backups for peace of mind
  • Use collections to organize themed reading lists
  • Rate books immediately after finishing
  • Import large libraries in batches of 500-1000
  • Use CSV export for analysis in Excel/Sheets
  • Share public collections via social media
🔐Account & Data Management
Manage your account and personal data

Export Your Data

Before making any major changes, we recommend exporting your data:

  1. Go to My Books page
  2. Click "💾 Backup & Restore"
  3. Click "💾 Create Backup" to download complete JSON backup
  4. Or use "📥 Export CSV" for spreadsheet format

Delete Your Account

You have the right to request deletion of your account and all associated data at any time.

⚠️ Important: Account deletion is permanent

  • All your books, collections, and loans will be permanently deleted
  • Your subscription will be canceled (no refund for unused time)
  • This action cannot be undone
  • We recommend exporting your data first

How to Request Account Deletion:

  1. Email us at support@mypersonallibraryapp.com
  2. Use subject line: "Account Deletion Request"
  3. Include your account email address
  4. We'll confirm deletion within 2 business days
  5. Your account and data will be permanently deleted within 30 days

Timeline: Account deletion is processed within 30 days of your request. During this period, your account will be deactivated and inaccessible. After 30 days, all data is permanently and irreversibly deleted from our systems.

Other Account Actions

  • Change Email: Go to Account Settings → Profile
  • Change Password: Go to Account Settings → Security
  • Manage Subscription: Go to Account Settings → Subscription
  • Privacy Settings: Control recommendation visibility in Profile settings

Questions or concerns? Contact us at support@mypersonallibraryapp.com or visit our Privacy Policy for more information about how we handle your data.

📚 Core Features
  • ✓ Add books by ISBN, manually or by camera scan
  • ✓ Track reading status
  • ✓ Loan management
  • ✓ Genre categorization
  • ✓ Search and filter
🚀 Advanced Features
  • ✓ 5-star rating system
  • ✓ Smart recommendations
  • ✓ CSV import/export
  • ✓ Complete backups
  • ✓ Collection sharing
🔒 Privacy
  • ✓ Personal notes stay private
  • ✓ Choose what to share
  • ✓ Public/private collections
  • ✓ Secure data storage
  • ✓ Full data export
❓ Common Questions

Q: Why aren't my recommendations showing?

A: Make sure you've rated at least one book with 4-5 stars and have unread books in your library.

Q: Can I undo a backup restore?

A: If you used Replace mode, no. Always create a backup before restoring! Use Merge mode for safer restores.

Q: What's the difference between CSV and JSON backup?

A: CSV is for spreadsheets and analysis. JSON backups preserve everything including relationships and can be restored.

Q: How do I stop sharing a collection?

A: Edit the collection and set it back to "Private". The share link will stop working immediately.

Q: Why won't my book's barcode scan?

A: Older ISBN-10 barcodes (10 digits without a 978/979 prefix) may not scan reliably with camera-based scanners. ISBN-13 barcodes (starting with 978 or 979) work best. If your book has an ISBN-10, look for an ISBN-13 barcode on the back cover, or use the "+ Add Book" button to enter the ISBN manually.

Q: What's the difference between ISBN-10 and ISBN-13?

A: ISBN-10 is the older format with 10 digits and no prefix (example: 0-306-40615-2).ISBN-13 is the newer format with 13 digits that always starts with 978 or 979 (example: 978-0-306-40615-7). All books published after 2007 should have ISBN-13 barcodes, which are optimized for barcode scanning.

Q: How do I delete my account?

A: Email support@mypersonallibraryapp.com with subject "Account Deletion Request" and include your account email. We'll process your request within 30 days. Important: This action is permanent and cannot be undone. We recommend exporting your data first. See the "Account & Data Management" section above for complete instructions.

📖 Need More Help?

Check out the complete Feature Guide for detailed step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting, and advanced tips.