oldchaptersFor collectors & antiquarian bookshops
Catalog a library by photographing it.
No typing, no barcode scanner. Point a camera at the title page — oldchapters reads it, matches it against real catalogs, and files it on the right shelf.
No account needed — the demo runs the real scan → match → save flow.
- title:
- Ulysses
- author:
- James Joyce
- publisher:
- Sylvia Beach, Paris
- year:
- 1922
- match:
- Open Library — 94% confidence
How it works
Three steps, no keyboard required.
01
Photograph the title page
One photo of the inner title page — no cropping, no barcode hunting. Works on covers with no barcode at all, which is most of what antiquarian shelves hold.
02
Claude reads it, we match it
Title, author, publisher, and year come off the page automatically, then get checked against Google Books, Open Library, Archive.org, and curated regional antiquarian listings.
03
It lands on the right shelf
File it under a shelf, and the app remembers where you left off. Export the whole catalog to CSV — into Excel, or your favorite library app.
Why not just type it in
Old books rarely have a working barcode.
Antiquarian and out-of-print editions predate ISBNs, or the barcode is worn past scanning. A photo of the title page works either way.
| oldchapters | Spreadsheet | Barcode app | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needs a barcode | No | No | Yes |
| Reads Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian editions | Yes | — | Rarely |
| Fills in publisher, year, cover art | Automatic | By hand | Sometimes |
| Time per book | ~15 seconds | 2–5 minutes | ~30 seconds, if it scans |
Who it's for
One flow, two audiences.
Individual collectors
Get your shelves into one searchable place without an afternoon of data entry. Point, shoot, done — one book at a time, whenever you have a minute.
Antiquarian bookshops & small libraries
Multi-user accounts with admin and logger roles, shelf organization across a whole floor, and CSV export when you need the catalog somewhere else.
Pricing
Start free, upgrade when it fits.
Free
Getting started
- ✓Catalog up to 20 books
- ✓Full search & match against every source
- ✓Shelves and multiple libraries
Paid
Unlimited
- ✓Unlimited books
- ✓CSV export of your whole catalog
- ✓Multiple staff accounts, one library
Ready to see your own shelf take shape?
Accounts are set up by hand, individuals and bookshops alike — reach out and we'll get your library going.