Bookends for Mac
Reference management and bibliography software.
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Bookends overview
Bookends is a full-featured bibliography/reference and information-management system for students and professionals.
- Bookends uses the cloud to sync reference libraries on all the Macs you use. Access the power of Bookends directly from Mellel, Nisus Writer Pro, or MS Word (including Word 2016): Bookends allows you to scan your existing word-processor files and automatically generate finished manuscripts with properly formatted bibliographies. You can also scan Apple Pages '08, '09, and 5, Manuscripts.app, and LibreOffice/OpenOffice 4 files, or RTF files saved from any word processor.
- Bookends allows you to share your references over the Internet with anyone, on any platform. And with Bookends, you can directly search and import references from numerous sources:
- PubMed
- Web of Science
- JSTOR
- Google Scholar
- Amazon
- Library of Congress
- arXiv
- and hundreds of other online sources
- Bookends also offers a robust assortment of file attachment features:
- Attach any file (such as a PDF) to a reference and view or open it instantly.
- Automatically rename and organize PDF files on-the-fly.
- Automatically download and attach the PDF of an article from the Internet if you have access permission.
- Automatically locate and attach PDF's on your hard drive.
- Annotate and markup PDFs and have the information instantly accessible in notecards.
- Sync your library with Bookends for iOS on your iOS devices, so that you have your references and PDF's with you wherever you are.
What’s new in version 15.0.8
- Dynamically adjusting PDF toolbar — Bookends automatically adjusts the PDF toolbar height and appearance to suit its contents. There are up to three different levels: the base controls (action pop-up menu and highlight marker), the optional file tag bar, and/or the optional PDF tab bar. Automatically adjusting the the toolbar to its smallest possible height allows you to see as much PDF content as possible without scrolling, which is especially useful for small screens.
- Maintain a light appearance for the Bibliography Window when the system is in dark mode — This option is available in the Settings Scan & Bib tab. Among other things, maintaining a light appearance in dark mode may make it easier to copy and paste formatted references into other apps whose text windows also maintain a light appearance.
- Updated the display of PDF search results for macOS 15 Sequoia — In addition to fixing problems caused by bugs in Sequoia, the output is now cleaner and easier to read.
- Improved group management and badges — Bookends will periodically perform a "sanity check" on your groups and silently repair any problems it may find. Static group badge numbers no longer count references that are in the trash, and will dynamically update when you add or remove references to/from the trash.
- More flexible AppleEvent SQL searches — The query can contain "intrash=false" or "intrash=true", which will let you find references that are not in or are in the library trash. If an "intrash" value is not specified, Bookends will only find references that are not in the trash.
- If a timeout occurs while trying to download multiple PDFs at once, Bookends will simply move to the next reference — Previously, a timeout would put Bookends in an unresponsive state or cancel the entire process.
- Use formats to create temp citations when using Floating Citations — Only formats with names beginning with "Temp Cite" will be available.
- Fixed an error that could occur when importing and linking references from the Inspector.
- Fixed a bug where an error during the PDF download process could put Bookends in an unresponsive state.
- Fixed the detection of clicks on disclosure widgets in a PDF table of contents.
- Fixed an issue where the width of the groups pane could be inadvertently changed.
Bookends for Mac
$74.99
In English
Version 15.0.8
Write a detailed review about Bookends
(92 Reviews of Bookends)
Comments
User Ratings
Aug 11 2023
Version: 14.2.2
I am a journalist on a deadline, and I need to add a considerable number of footnotes and endnotes to a manuscript. I read the reviews and bought Bookends.
I have gone through the video tutorials and read through the users guide and these are my thoughts, take them for what they are:
My book is on an old espionage case that was extremely complex. I would say it's about half as difficult to figure out than Bookends. There is no step by step tutorial for someone unfamiliar with this type of software, no quick start guide to get you through the basics. The tutorial reads like it's written for people who already know how it works.
I don't know if there are better programs out there, but if you are on my level, good with tech but new when it comes to footnote/reference software you risk losing your sanity with this program. In thirty years on a Mac, I don't think I've ever seen a more obtuse application (Scrivener was a snap compared to this). This has me ready to take an Alzheimer's test.
I respect and admire anyone who finds Bookends to be easy. I feel the same way about the creators of it, good for them. For a lot of people this is terrific, but for me, on a deadline, it's a disaster. I keep thinking that according to the Bible, God created the Earth in Seven days. I think even he (or she or they) would be scratching his head after ten days with Bookends.
Jan 16 2022
Version: 14.0.4
I really wanted to use this in combo with Mellel. No dice. Bookends is a non-starter for serious doctoral academics. Pls correct me if this is factually inaccurate - but Bookends does not allow for any importation of necessary style guides - you get what's there, end of. Zotero has them all by default. (Bookends has one Harvard style, when at least 75 exist). If you need a specific style for your university.department, you are forced to suddenly become a code editor to tweak the one that's there --- if I were interested in doing all that, I'd just learn LaTex to begin with. Also: scanning workarounds for citations on a 250,000 word dissertation is not an option when Libre + Zotero do it seamlessly, albeit they are not as good for the word processing. --- When Mellel ("By academics for academics"), Bookends, or both choose to accomodate flexibility and realistic options, I'll gladly try again - and happily pay for the luxury. They are onto something here, I need a viable alternative to MS Word and the other litany of stuff out there - not headaches, endless forum searches, etc. completing my PhD. C'mon folks! There really is a market out there if you want us! peace.
May 24 2021
Version: 13.5.4
tried it recently with Microsoft Word, works seamlessly and make work so much easier 100% recommend
Apr 6 2021
Version: 13.5.3
Wow, finally "Set the font and font size for PDF comments in Preferences" Am legally blind so this is much valued fix.
May 27 2019
Version: 13.2.3
Great app. Use it with my Word docs and works flawlessly. Been around forever.
