How to import your Goodreads library to Notion

In this guide, I will walk you through a few easy steps to import your entire Goodreads library to Notion.

There are two approaches you can take. The first approach is to simply import all of your Goodreads bookshelves (To Read, Reading, Read) as a new database. This is especially helpful to save your Goodreads data in another location in case Goodreads should ever shut down.

The second approach uses NotionReads to give you the full functionality of a book tracker like Goodreads right inside of Notion. It also enriches the Goodreads data i.e. with book covers to be able to beautifully display your entire digital library in Notion. You can try NotionReads, including the Goodreads import for free.

Approach A - Simple Import

Step 1 - Export your Goodreads Data

Head over to the Goodreads Import/Export page (you have to be logged in): https://www.goodreads.com/review/import

Click on Export Library and wait until a download link appears. (This might take a while depending on the size of your Goodreads library).

Once the download link appears (should say “Your export from…”) click it to start the download.

Step 2 - Import your file to Notion

In your Notion Workspace click the Import button which you can find on the lower end of the sidebar.

A modal opens up - click CSV and then select the file which you downloaded from Goodreads in the first step.

Wait for the upload to finish. After a moment (this depends on the size of your library again), your Goodreads data will appear as a new database in your Notion.

You can now customize this database to your liking. You can delete properties (Goodreads exports a lot of data that you probably don’t need), add your own properties and arrange the data into different views.

Approach B - Import via NotionReads

I built NotionReads as a special book tracker template that can completely replace your Goodreads library. It comes with a rich book search integrated right into Notion and makes your Goodreads import look beautiful without any manual work.

Step 1 - Create a NotionReads Account and connect to Notion

NotionReads is a paid template. However, it comes with a lifetime deal, no running costs. And also, you can try it out, including the Goodreads import, completely free.

Once you have obtained your license key or started the free trial, follow the instructions here to duplicate the template and set up your account:

https://reads.notion.site/Set-Up-Instructions-e2f55aaf63c04252acbcbcd3f436d93d

Step 2 - Export your Goodreads Data

(This is identical to Step 1 in Approach A)

Head over to the Goodreads Import/Export page (you have to be logged in): https://www.goodreads.com/review/import

Click on Export Library and wait until a download link appears. (This might take a while depending on the size of your Goodreads library).

Once the download link appears (should say “Your export from…”) click it to start the download.

Step 3 - Import via the NotionReads Goodreads Import

Go to https://www.notionreads.com/goodreads-import.

Upload the Goodreads Export CSV file that you downloaded in Step 2 by dragging it into the box or clicking on browse to select a file. Then click the green Import button to start the import.

You will now be redirected to a status page that will keep you updated about the progress of your import and the approximate time it will take to finish. You can check your Notion to see the books magically appearing in the meantime.

Step 4 - Review the Import

Once the import is finished, you will see a summary on the status page. Sometimes the Goodreads import has missing data (i.e. the ISBN might not have been exported correctly). In these cases, the books are sometimes imported but without an image. You will be given a list of books where this was the case so you can optionally add the cover image manually.

I hope this guide provided you with all the answers you need to be able to import your entire Goodreads library to Notion. I’d be thrilled if you checked out NotionReads.

If you have any questions - feel free to email me here or reach out to me on Twitter.