a few big ideas: editing'n'organizing; person-collection connections; streaming; and, librivox &c.

[Githubisincomprehensiblegarbage]

Cool! So glad to find this program by chance (after having looked for something like it several times). As a disaffected and reluctant Libby user of several years, i have a few notes. I hope you'll consider all of them.

• When setting up the program, it asks whether one of three models of file organization is used for one's library. my collection includes ecclectic organizational patterns, having been gathered over time from many origins, and being of numerous content types. Any chance that we could edit individual and numerous files, as well as sort them into groups that could be edited / arranged / under the banner of [X, artwork, title, ’recommended,' etc.]?
  Any person's collection's files might be whole works (entire, uninterrupted short story / book / lecture, etc.) or portions thereof; folders for an author, publishing house, type (academic or pop, genre or subject, form or era, etc.), and ... you get the idea. I haven't found an easy way to sort in Android's system. It's time-consuming and quite limited. As a result, the audio that I've just happened to keep over time is of no particular form, so a program that helps me get the collection in line would be super helpful.

• Just as this program helps us to collect artwork online — cool feature! — perhaps it mighy also allow us to enjoy interacting with our collections in other ways (including the aforementioned), in a plethora of ways that accomodate the interests of diverse users. I might like biographical notes about authors, critical essays, or, I don't know, music? Definitely sometimes annotations-type reference material and my own notes. (And each in both written and audio form.) I'm sure some others would want to group fan fiction with the originals. Also note the first suggestion about organizing, which might come from playlists, helping to standardize content that's coming from different sources into generally accepted formats, etc.

• Please help us find audio content! Where is it? One great resource is LibriVox! While imperfect, this (partially?) volunteer-run movement is awesome with encouraging us alongside our fellow citizens to engage with literature that's in the public domain. My experience, it does not have a great cataloging system (and its search is not great). I imagine some of the volunteers would encourage the building of an interface that helps this open-source program to connect with its readings, advancing the mission of both projects. Librivox could become libraryesque! What do you think? (Minor point: moves in this direction may give rise to copywright matters - which is no reason to be wary. It's just a factor that might influence a few decisions.°)
  From what I can tell, some folks began talking about this idea in a productive way, taking the same general concept in another direction (i think?), here:
  Consider adding support of some streaming server [like Audiobookshelf]. #2385
  I don't understand most of what they're saying, but it seems like theyre finding books and bringing them to use with this program. (Regrettably, the other program they refer to is geared towards people with programming knowledge — though some involved in that project may dispute this characterization, the fact is that, in practice, one needs programming knowledge throughout; its no good for people like me.)

• lastly, how about making decisions now, early 2025, assuming that it will be practical to integrate with public libraries in a year's time? and other collections of all sorts! Its a non-rhetprical question. Why not build forward as if this is a possibility?

• (please bear with me on this point) i very much dislike the monopolistic bastard app named libby — closed source, often demands internet connection (even after downloading books), clunky, etc. In fact, libby's practices continue to stifle all other means of people working with their libraries to access audiobooks in every municipality across the entire country.
  (Its easy to believe that it has some sort of non-compete relationship with evil Amazon, in addition to profiting off of one another through legal contracts.)
  Libby and its owners .. It's really a vile and untrustworthy monopoly.†
  Which leads to...

• How about integration with libraries!? Nine out of 10 librarians are very pro-freedom, and we can have confidence that the ALA, librarian unions, consortiums, etc., would enthusiastically embrace an open-source project that is doing good things, bringing an egalitarian an transparent movement to audiobooks, despite Libby's smothering presence!

• Especially consider libraries in places like the EU! the European Commission might even provide support for such a project, especially if there is a focus on numerous languages.

If it's bad form, I apologoze for posting several big ideas in a single message. I hope you will graciously consider each of these ideas nevertheless.
Please let me know if I can clarify, elaborate, or perhaps even assist.

Thanks!

° helping to facilitate the connection of person and (once) copywrighted works requires some thoughtfulness, but it needn't be risky. As libraries demonstrate, there are means of mitigating any potential legal concerns. (Any decent attorney should volunteer to make sure it's not an issue, and ~one of three inclined to volunteer would do a fine job working with programmers, etc., anticipating and avoiding any future sticky issues.)

†Admittedly, I don't know much about it and onedrive, except that it is the only player in town and hopes to stay that way, and that people are getting rich off of making it difficult for people to borrow from their libraries. That they wouldn't have a relationship with Amazon... It would be a shock.