Calibre and Kindle Collections

I recently bought a Kindle. Even though I didn't think I would like it, I really do. Maybe it is the computer scientist in me, but I want to control how books are organized and displayed from my computer instead of from the Kindle. Enter Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/). If you don't know, Calibre is to ebooks as iTunes is to mp3s. It is great at organizing and converting books. However, out-of-the-box it doesn't support collections on the Kindle.

It was pretty easy to set up:

1. Install the "Kindle Collections" plugin (instructions here)
2. Create a custom column by going to Preferences > Change calibre behavior > Interface > Add your own columns. Click the "Add custom column" button
3. Give it a lookup name (kindlecollections), Column heading (Kindle Collections), and choose the "Text, column shown in tag browser"
4. Fill in that new column with whatever collections you want on your Kindle. You can also go to Edit metadata > Custom metadata to add the name of the collections
5. Plug in your Kindle (if you haven't already) so you can use the Kindle Collections plugin
6. Go to Kindle Collections > Customize collections to create from Calibre...
7. Select "Create" in the Action dropdown for your new column
8. Go to Kindle Collections > Create collections on the Kindle from Calibre
9. Eject and Restart your Kindle

It sounds more complicated than it really is. I know there are other tips out there for using existing columns like Series for Kindle Collections, but that didn't make sense to me as much as creating a new column.

Also, I don't like that you have to restart your Kindle every time, but I think that is a Kindle limitation, not Calibre or the plugin.

Let me know if you have any other Kindle/Calibre/Collections tips!

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