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How to catalogue LP collection

C

ClaraBannister

pfm Member
I finally got all my LP records in one place, in an IKEA Expedit bookcase with 16 sections. It's absolutely full. I'd estimate there must be in the region of 1500 records, give or take. The only sorting they've undergone is to keep all the classical together, and all the non-classical. The former outnumber the latter by a considerable margin. From a packaging supply firm, I ordered a large quantity of compressed card right-angle edge protectors. These are very hard and rigid, and are used to protect the edges of cardboard boxes from the strapping. My plan is to use them as back-stops behind the records, so that all the latter will line up neatly, securing them to the shelves with double-sided mounting tape. From the same firm, I ordered a quantity of standard-sized index cards to catalogue the collection, which I hope to get around to early in the new year. I still haven't decided quite how to do this. Should one file everything alphabetically by composer or performer, by instrument or genre, or what? I'd be interested in the observations of other members who've done something similar. I have considered compiling a computerised database, but my skills are limited in that area, and I think a physical card index such as we used to have in libraries would be a lot more accessible and user-friendly. I may transfer the details to the computer later on, if I ever have nothing more pressing to do.
 
Expedit are good units.

When you get into higher numbers the filing gets tricky!

I have a unit the same which is a bit boring A-Z by bands or surname.

Then A-Z classical by composer and last A- Z Jazz by artist.

I also have a smaller unit for 12" A - Z except my favourites which are at the end of the row.

I then have about 50 out in my play pile, then another 50 which are recent purchases, these shelves are mixed in no order!

I then have another big unit which is the for sale rack, I am trying to reduce my vinyl!
 
Programs are available, like Music Collectorz, which help with inputting, and for CDs can use a barcode scanner is it. They connect to an Internets to pull down covers and other details and such.

I keep a simple text file of recent couple of thousand purchases Artist / Title on my mobile device, and this has helped avoid buying the same record 2,3 or 4 times there.

DS
 
For regularising the front edge profile of vinyl on Expedit, my method is to get wooden battens 1" x 1/2" cut into lengths that fit into the apertures, fixed by a couple of countersunk screws, sprayed dark brown or left natural, depending on the unit is it.

These leave the spine of the record about 1" from the front, and makes browsing easier and stops any falling down the back there.

Other methods are also available, including the comedy 90 degree inversion pile up that some favour.

DS
 
I've got mine sorted into main sections of 'rock, pop, electronica etc', 'jazz', 'classical' and a small section that are just too odd to fit anywhere else, everything sorted by band name / artist or composer surname (work / performer then sorted within composer). I've additional areas for 12" singles as they tend not to have spine printing, so they are just in tubs on the floor, 7" and 10" items also kept separately. I'm too lazy to keep a catalogue for anything except listed shop stock, but I do go through taking pictures of the spines now and again so I've a rough record of what I've got, not that my household insurance would come even close to covering it. All my CDs are effectively catalogued by the act of ripping them into iTunes.

PS Be careful with fully-loaded Expidit shelves, they can place more load onto floorboards / joists than is wise. Consult a structural engineer if in doubt!
 
Ah this is the opportunity to ask about keeping tabs on my music albums.

I've run into problems of buying the same records I already have, mostly because they've changed the covers on a reissue or different pressing, or I've simply forgotten. So I started using a stop-gap measure of writing down titles, artist by artist, of my albums in a small phone address book which I carry around when record shopping. This is far from ideal.

Any suggestions on a good Iphone app for keeping a database for my music collection that I can also access/sync on my Mac (for ease of data entry)?
 
I have a multitude of categorization going on with my collection utilizing four record racks. This method helps me locate records and put them into areas where they can get the attention they deserve.

My keeper rack contains:

1) my favorite rock/pop albums
2) a section for blues
3) a section for dance/party
4) a section for pre-70's jazz
5) a section for post 1970 jazz/fusion

A second rack contains:

1) classical sorted by label, then composer.
2) recent unsorted jazz/fusion
3) unsorted classical obtained in bulk

The third rack contains least played albums

1) rock/pop
2) jazz
3)classical

The fourth rack contains:

1) new release and new reissues of rock/pop over the last decade or so.
2) newly purchased used rock/pop/blues over the last several years. These eventually get moved to the keeper or less played rack when room becomes an issue.

Most everything is sorted alphabetically.
 
I have jazz and classical filed in a rough historical order. I find it pretty easy to find things that way. Rock and pop are a bit of a shambles though. Electronic and dance is even worse because most of it is 12" singles; I'd like to have these front facing like in a record shop but its not practical.
 
I keep my records/CDs separated by genre in alphabetical order. With exceptions such as, for example, Lou Reed / Richard Thompson go with VU and Fairport Convention respectively.

As for cataloguing I use Excel; it is not as good as Music Collectorz or one my friend uses, Orange I think it's called, but it does the job. I have thought of changing to one of these but the time and effort involved is just too daunting.

I'm reasonably disciplined and regularly hoof out stuff to Oxfam stuff I no longer listen too. I'm not a collector.

I still occasionly buy something I've already got but not as much as in the past.

My rack from Ikea, which I think is an Expedit has a back in it whick keeps records neat and uniformly about 40mm from the front edge. It is ten years old so the design may have changed.
 
Actually, fitting a back panel would be a good idea. Jack Barriere once posted a photograph of a huge IKEA rack with all his records in which had collapsed sideways. What a mess!
 
I set up an Access database many years ago, and I'm not about to change it now TBH.

LP's and CD's are filed by artists A-Z, which includes classical by composer's name. Various artist LP's and CD's are filed separately by album name A-Z.

7" & 12" singles are filed in proper cases in chronological order (i.e. the order in which I buy them); the database list which boxes they are in.

New purchase tend to sit around for a while, and then I'll have a record putting away day.

It works for me, and updating the list takes a matter of seconds.

Downloads are more difficult; I started adding them to the database, but I've largely given up on that now. When I asked the question here on pfm, someone advised Media Monkey & that's something I must get around to investigating in the new year.
 
Tony L said:
PS Be careful with fully-loaded Expidit shelves, they can place more load onto floorboards / joists than is wise. Consult a structural engineer if in doubt!
Click to expand...

This is a serious concern because I'm going to move house soon and was thinking of getting an Expedit 4 x 4. I would be using it in the lower ground floor, so I'm presuming that the floor could cope with it, but can they be overloaded anyway? Clara's memory of the Jaques Barriere disaster is worrying.
 
In fairness, Jack's Expedit was a very large one. He suggested that the unit should be assembled with glue, rather than just the dowels and fittings supplied. It comes with a couple of wall brackets for the top which give it side-to-side stability as well as preventing it tipping forward. The weight is another matter. A small cardboard box of records is quite a weight to lift, so I can't imagine what an Expedit 4 x 4 loaded with 1500 records must weigh. Mine is on a solid ground floor, but I wouldn't fancy it upstairs.
 
ClaraBannister said:
Actually, fitting a back panel would be a good idea. Jack Barriere once posted a photograph of a huge IKEA rack with all his records in which had collapsed sideways. What a mess!
Click to expand...

That rack was oriented incorrectly with the records sitting on the side supports so it's no wonder it collapsed. My 4X4 is filled to the max and anchored to the wall using the supplied hardware. No problems in the 10 years I've had it. It might help to use a little glue during assembly.

Here's an example of how not to orient the rack:

2761846402_74178c383e_o.gif
 
Elephantears said:
This is a serious concern because I'm going to move house soon and was thinking of getting an Expedit 4 x 4. I would be using it in the lower ground floor, so I'm presuming that the floor could cope with it, but can they be overloaded anyway? Clara's memory of the Jaques Barriere disaster is worrying.
Click to expand...

The only collapsed one I've seen pictures of had very obviously been assembled incorrectly (it had the long shelves running vertically, they have to be horizontal), so I'd not worry about that. If you are on a solid concrete floor I assume you can go as heavy as you like. The area to be careful is if you have them on suspended floors that are simply not designed to take such weight, e.g. I've got one in an upstairs bedroom (the pfm shop) and I've got to be careful with it. For a start figure out the orientation of the boards and joists - you have to have it spanning several joists for obvious reasons, and the size of the joists is significant too. One of my friends is a structural engineer so he did a few calculations, I've forgotten the precise weights and results, but the big 5x5 Expidit is potentially leathal and the 4x4 could easily be over-filled (e.g. running the wrong direction over a fairly thin joist). Go weigh a cube of vinyl, it's bloody heavy, then times it by 16 and you'll see what I mean! I keep a close eye on my back room ceiling for hints in case the shop decides to come crashing through!
 
I've just checked mine, and I'm relieved to find that I've assembled it correctly. I've done a calculation. The 4 x 4 Expedit, according to IKEA, weighs 62.4 kg. Loaded with 1500 records, each weighing 180 grams, it brings the total to 332.4 kg. I don't know what that is in pounds, but it's a lot. Some records would weigh less than 180 grams, and quite a few of mine weigh more, but that figure doesn't even include the sleeves.
 
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