---
title: "Library & Reading"
description: "Upload EPUBs, read them in the browser, and keep track of your progress."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bookhoarder.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Library & Reading

1. **Add a book**

   Drag an `.epub` anywhere into the library, or use the upload button.
   Uploading the same file twice is a no-op — Bookhoarder recognizes it
   by content and points back to the existing book.
2. **Read it in the browser**

   Click a book to open the built-in reader. Your position and percent
   complete are saved automatically, per profile.
3. **Organize and find it again**

   Rate it, mark it read, add it to a shelf, or pull it back up later
   with search.

## Uploading

- Drag and drop, or the upload button in the library header
- `.epub` files only
- Deduplicated by content hash (SHA-256) — the same file uploaded twice
  (even under a different filename) resolves to one book
- Bookhoarder reads the EPUB's own metadata (title, author, ISBN,
  language) and extracts its cover automatically
- The archive is unpacked on upload so the reader can serve its contents
  directly, rather than opening the `.epub` as a zip on every read

## Reading

- In-browser reader built on [epub.js](https://github.com/futurepress/epub.js/)
- Table of contents drawer, and arrow-key navigation between pages
- Reading position and percent complete are saved automatically per
  profile — two profiles can read the same book independently, each
  picking up where they left off
- The reader follows your light/dark theme
- **Reading Now**, in the sidebar, lists every book with progress,
  most-recently-read first

## Organizing and finding a book

- Rate any book 1–5 stars
- Mark a book read or unread
- Search by title or author from the search dialog
- On a shared install, a book's detail panel shows **Readers** — which
  other profiles have read, rated, or are partway through it

## Downloading and removing

- Download the original `.epub` file from a book's menu at any time
- Deleting a book is admin-only — see [Profiles & Access](/features/profiles)

Source: https://docs.bookhoarder.dev/features/library/index.mdx