Prevent buying the same volume of manga! A digital bookshelf that solves the problem of forgetting how many volumes you have bought
``How many volumes of this manga did you buy?'' This is an article for manga collectors who worry when they see a new issue at a bookstore, or feel despair after buying the same volume more than once. We will introduce a free digital bookshelf that can be managed intuitively using cover images instead of text lists, does not require registration, and operates completely locally.
§1. "Oh, I already had this..." The pain of a manga lover who feels despair after returning home
“The latest edition of that manga I saw in the new edition corner is out!…Wait, did you buy the first volume?”
The moment I took it to the cash register, believing in myself that I definitely hadn't bought it, and excitedly got home and was about to put it on the bookshelf...''
Already there are spines that are exactly the same as the volume you just bought. **
Anyone who loves manga has probably experienced the despair of buying duplicates at least once.
Your precious reading time will be ruined by the shock of having two copies of the same book and the regret of wasting your pocket money.
In fact, this problem of buying the same volume over and over again'' is not limited to some forgetful people.
This is a very deep-rooted problem that many manga collectors have.
§2. Why do we forget the volume numbers of manga?
There is no need to blame yourself and think, I should have bought it before, so why am I making the same mistake again?''
There are several clear reasons why people forget the volume numbers of manga.
Suspension of serialization and length of publication interval
For many popular manga, there is a gap of three to six months before a new issue is released. It is not uncommon for long periods to last more than a year.
During that time, our brains process a large amount of new information, so our memory of the last volume we bought'' naturally fades.
Reading multiple works in parallel
Nowadays, with the spread of web comic apps, more and more people are tracking dozens or more works at the same time.
It is natural for the memory in your brain to become blown out, thinking, Work A has 12 volumes, work B has 5 volumes, work C is the latest edition, but was it a special edition...?''
Text memos are difficult to connect with "brain memory"
Many of you probably make a list in text such as 〇〇 (work name) 15'' on your smartphone's standard notepad.
However, humans are creatures that are good at remembering things visually (images).
When you see a cover illustration'' at a bookstore, the number 15'', which is text information on your smartphone, is difficult to associate with the visual cover image already on the bookshelf'' in your mind, and you end up making a mistake based on your instincts.
§3．
You may be thinking, Why not use an existing library management app that reads barcodes?''
However, many manga fans have given up on or avoided using such apps. There are three main reasons for this.
1. Even reading barcodes is a hassle:
It's quite a hassle to turn over the dozens of manga you've bought one by one and scan the barcodes with your smartphone camera. It doesn't last long, especially in busy daily life.
2. Severity of operations due to account registration and advertisements:
Many cloud-based management apps require you to create an account or log in to SNS. Furthermore, the free version displays full-page advertisements, which can be frustrating as it takes a long time to load when you want to quickly check the store.
3. Privacy Sensitive:
An increasing number of people are reluctant to send highly private data such as what kind of manga they buy and what hobbies they have'' to an external company's server for storage. There are concerns that information may be leaked or that hobby data may be analyzed and used for advertising.
§4. Solution: Completely local bookshelf "ZeroTools" that is intuitively managed with images
ZeroTools' Digital Bookshelf (manga/book management web app) was developed to solve all of these "troublesomeness" and "privacy issues" and manage books intuitively and safely.
This tool is a personally developed product that completely eliminates the disadvantages of previous library management tools and is completely browser-based and does not send data to a server.
① Quickly take a photo with a smartphone camera and adjust the cover crop to 2:3
Registration begins by simply taking a picture of the cover of the manga you bought with your camera or uploading an image file.
You can drag and zoom to adjust the size of the book (2:3 ratio) on your smartphone screen, and register the cover as if you were cutting out a real electronic book.
② Visual management with “wooden bookshelf view” instead of text list
Registered manga are grouped by series name and automatically arranged in order of volume on a wooden bookshelf'' that is beautifully reproduced on the screen.
Since the "pictures (visuals)" on the spine and cover are arranged in a grid, you can intuitively compare the cover of a new book you saw at a bookstore with the status of the bookshelf.
③ No server transmission, saved in browser's IndexedDB
This is our greatest strength. Not a single byte of the registered cover image or title information is sent to an external server. **
All are stored directly in a private database (IndexedDB) inside your browser. Therefore, the risk of information leakage is physically zero.
§5. When you get lost in a bookstore, the pleasure of just one tap on your smartphone
Once you start using ZeroTools' digital bookshelf, purchasing new books at the bookstore will become dramatically more convenient.
- No account registration required: Just open it from your browser's bookmarks and your bookshelf will be displayed instantly.
- Works extremely fast offline: Since the data is completely saved locally, it starts up extremely fast with no waiting time, even in underground bookstores where the internet environment is unstable.
- Make a quick decision just by looking at the "cover": While looking at the cover picture of a new book, you scroll through the bookshelf on your smartphone, thinking,
Oh, what's on the bookshelf is the cover of the latest previous volume, so what's right in front of you is a new book!'' and proceed to the checkout with confidence.
No more sighing on the train home thinking, I bought two of the same book...''
§6. Summary: Create your own bookshelf on your smartphone right now
The problem of buying the same volume can be completely resolved by using the tools wisely.
ZeroTools' digital bookshelf is completely free and available for use right now, without any troublesome registration or fees.
Would you like to organize your precious manga collection beautifully and safely on your smartphone while protecting your privacy?