How Do You Keep Track of All Your RPG Books?

[Alzrius]

I use a combination of a big Word document with most (but not all) of my physical books listed in it.

Other than that, I use method of loci to recall what's where on my shelves.

 

[Umbran]

I don't. I don't find any need for management beyond my own brain.

I have never, for example, run across the issue of possibly buying the same book twice.

 

[Haiku Elvis]

I don't. On the other hand, i'm not a collector of RPG books. I have a shelf with physical books, but i rarely buy anything new.

Get the pitchforks and torches lads he is a stranger to our ways and must be punished!

EDIT: the farmer emojis definitely has pitchforks when I was writing the comment. Now I've posted it they seem to have veg baskets.
Is it too much to ask to be able to menace someone with a slightly different opinion to you with a picture of a sharp farming tool?
"Clear off or I'll wave my butternut squash in your general direction." Just doesn't have the same vibe.

 

[timbannock]

As the title suggests, I’m curious how you keep tabs on your library of RPG rulebooks, adventures, supplements, splats, etc.

Google Sheet, using different tabs to organize different system families, catch-alls, generic/non-system-specific stuff, accessories, and pawns (as in Pathfinder and Starfinder - luckily the Pathfinder wiki and so on provided lists, so I could just copy/paste those into the sheet).

So I have a D&D (all editions, official stuff only) tab, an OSR tab (which might get split out so I can have a separate *Borg games tab), a tab for accessories, a tab for Pawns, a tab for system neutral stuff (books of random tables), a tab for accessories (various card sets, generators, books on mapping), a tab for Cortex, a tab for Supers RPGs, and so on.

The other big thing worth noting is that I don't collect anymore. I don't hold onto things unless I'm using them, planning to use them soon, or use them as a constant reference. So I've probably sold off more RPGs than many people ever own. I just don't have the room for it. So it's all gotta fit on a single (albeit large) book shelf. That helps keep it manageable.

...Until you look at my digital library ;-) Now THAT is a beast. I use Google Drive and have a subfolder within RPGs called "Bookshelf" and then its organized by game, or rarely game system if it's a fairly contained family of games. So D&D has a folder, then within that each edition, plus a catch-all OSR folder that then has Castles & Crusades, Mork Borg (and its family) etc. Cortex is all in one folder, but that is honestly a pretty unwieldy folder. I keep all the Year Zero games separate, because there's enough of them and they are often pretty different. And so on. I have a gazillion games though, thanks to years of bundles, charities, freebies and quick starts, and so on.

I think the moral of the story here is either (a) use spreadsheets and cloud storage or (b) don't be like me, and build your wealth instead of buying this many things you'll never even read or play. What was the original question again?

 

[Jd Smith1]

I only buy pdfs, having consigned all hard copies except Harn to my dumpster.

I keep them in folders by system or setting; for campaigns in play, copies are in those folders, too (so some are in multiple folders).

 

[Richards]

My (A)D&D collection is on a bookcase to the left of my computer workstation in my man cave/game room. And while I don't have an electronic file showing what books I own, I do have an electronic file telling me which (3.0/3.5) monster stats are in which books - it saves me a lot of time when looking up stats!

Johnathan

 

[GrimCo]

Get the pitchforks and torches lads he is a stranger to our ways and must be punished!

I cleaned my collection. Anything that isn't used fairly regular, gets sold or gifted. I did it with all books, not just rpg. On the other hand, adventure modules never were my thing. Core and player option books only, with occasional setting book and only for the games that will actually be played. Space is limited and collection of graphic novels takes precedent.

I have massive collection of pdfs on NAS though, but, to be honest, i think i haven't opened 80% of it more than once.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I generally don’t need help to recall what RPG books I have. I have bought several duplicate books over the decades, but all repeat purchases save one were intentional.

I use my Notes app to keep lists of things I’m considering buying, including RPG products. Some of my lists include prices, sales notices and discount codes; not so far with RPG stuff, so far.

If/when I find I’m having trouble remembering what I currently own, I’ll probably just start taking photos of my stuff on my bookcases.

 

[dbm]

If/when I find I’m having trouble remembering what I currently own, I’ll probably just start taking photos of my stuff on my bookcases.

This is also really handy in the worst-case scenario of needing to make an insurance claim.

 

[Jd Smith1]

This is also really handy in the worst-case scenario of needing to make an insurance claim.

Exactly. You should have a photo of everything you own of value, saved somewhere outside your home, like a jump drive in your vehicle or locker/desk at work.