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 15.4.1
Improved access to AI Writing Tools features
- Keyboard shortcuts have been added to Proofread (Shift-Command-!) and Summarize (Shift-Command-@). This means you can bypass the GUI when invoking these tools. For example, proofread your notes instantly by pressing Shift-Command-!, or summarize a PDF's selected text with Shift-Command-@.
When using Bookends Browser to import metadata extracted by AI you can simultaneously download and attach the web page as a PDF
Autocomplete multiple references in one session
- If you have more than one reference selected, Bookends will autocomplete each one in succession. Previously, after each autocomplete session you had to select the next reference and start the process again. In addition, the autocomplete window is resizable and when Apple Intelligence is not available the UI is cleaner.
The names of custom formats used to rename attachments must begin with "Rename"
- This ensures that bibliography formats are not mistakenly used for this purpose. If you are already using a format to rename attachments it will continue to work, but won't be shown in the Settings rename pop-up menu. In this case you should change the name of the format in the Finder and then select it again in Settings.
The Citekey field (AKA User1) right-click hierarchical menu contains the option Generate Citekey
- This is a convenience function that is identical to selecting Generate Citekey from the Refs menu or the selected references' contextual menu. It will only be shown if the fields used to create the citekey have text or if you are using a format to create the citekey.
There is a new special character sequence in formats that URL-encodes the current library's name for use in URLs
- Using !! in the Order field makes it possible, for example, to create a format that outputs a plain-text hypertext link to the reference.
Updated the Bookends Browser parser to deal with changes made by Google Scholar
- Those changes could cause Bookends to request the article's PDF instead of the web page.
Updated database engine
This fixes a problem in the last update where some searches returned incomplete results.Bookends now uses the new PubMed Central API for downloading PDFs
- The older API will be discontinued August 2026.
Shortcut changes
- Use Shift-Command-N to create a new empty library and Shift-Option-Command-N to create a new PDF note.
Fixes
- Fixed a Word Citation Inspector bug where double-clicking on a PDF annotation opened a Finder window insteadof showing that annotation in the Bookends library.
- Fixed a bug that could sometimes result in an error when the Word Citation Window opened
- Fixed a Word Citation Inspector cosmetic bug when an annotation was double-clicked
- Fixed an issue where Bookends Browser would mistakenly think a web page contained a unique identifier to an online source.
- Fixed a bug in the Word Citation Inspector where double-clicking an attached PDFs name could cause an error.
- Fixed a bug where a { character in a field could cause the concise view to be empty.
Bookends for Mac
$89.99
In English
Version 15.4.1
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.
