How to Set Up Calibre to Sync with Marvin

Last Updated: September 7, 2020

If you use Marvin to read eBooks on your iPad and if you have Calibre on your PC to manage your eBooks, you’d be glad to know that you can set up both to sync with each other. Since you already have an eBook library on Calibre, all it takes is to link it with Marvin and have the contents sync with it. It works pretty much the same as syncing your iPod with your iTunes library for your music and podcasts.

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Getting the Reader Plugin

1
Launch Calibre. Double-click on the program to launch it. It can be accessed from the Start menu or from the shortcut on your desktop.
2
Go to Preferences. From the program header toolbar, click on downward arrow beside the gears icons on the far right for Preferences.

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3
Get plugins to enhance Calibre. From the drop-down menu, select “Get plugins to enhance calibre.” A User Plugins window will appear listing all the available plugins for Calibre.
4
Install iOS reader applications. Scroll through the list of plugins and select “iOS reader applications.” The plugin will be highlighted. Click the “Install” button at the bottom.
- Confirm installation on the next box by clicking the “Yes” button. The plugin will be installed.

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Customizing the Plugin for Marvin

1
Find the installed plugin. After the plugin is installed, it will now be located under the list of installed plugins.
- Filter the list by using the “Filter list of plugins” drop-down list and selecting “Installed.”
2
Select plugin. Scroll through the list and select “iOS reader applications.” The plugin will be highlighted.
3
Customize plugin. Click on the “Customize plugin” button found on the lower left corner.
4
Set Marvin as the preferred reader. Under the “General options” tab, select “Marvin” from the drop-down list for “Preferred iOS reader application.”
- Click the “OK” button to save.
5
Restart Calibre. For the plugin to take effect, you have to restart Calibre. Click the close button for the program, and launch it again.

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Connecting Calibre with Marvin

1
Connect the iPad. Use the appropriate data cable to connect your iPad to your PC.
2
Launch Marvin. Look for the Marvin app on your device and tap on it to launch it. The app icon has a red background with a big “M” on it.
- Marvin will start and load your library.
3
Get books. On Marvin’s main screen, tap the “Get books” link on the lower right corner. A small menu will pop out displaying the available options to get books into Marvin.
- Options will include calibre, Dropbox, OPDS, and Web.
4
Connect Calibre. Tap the first logo for Calibre. Calibre connector will run and will be displayed on the middle of your screen. Marvin will connect with Calibre on your PC.
5
View Marvin from Calibre. Once successfully connected, the Calibre connector will display a “Ready” status. Go to Calibre on your PC. Marvin will be added on the header toolbar, right beside the Library menu.
- Marvin and Calibre are now connected.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Syncing eBooks to Marvin

1
Select eBooks. From your Calibre library on the middle section of the software, select the eBooks by clicking on them. They will be highlighted.
2
Send to device. From the header toolbar, click on the “Send to device” button. The selected eBooks will be uploaded to Marvin on your iPad.
3
Disconnect from Marvin. Go to the Marvin app on your iPad, and tap the “Disconnect” button in the middle of the Calibre connector.
- It is important that you do this and not just pull the data cables out.
4
Close Calibre. You won’t need Calibre now that the eBooks are in Marvin. Go ahead and close the program from your computer.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Accessing Synced eBooks on Marvin

1
Go to Library. On Marvin’s main screen, tap the “Library” button in the upper right corner. The list of eBooks in you Marvin library will be listed.
2
View uploaded eBooks. The eBooks you've uploaded or synced from Part 4 should be included in your Marvin library now.
3
Read an eBook. Tap on the title of the eBook you’d like to read.
- Since you've already uploaded or synced the eBooks from Calibre, you can bring your iPad anywhere and read the eBooks without getting tied to your computer desk.