Add and manage libraries

Silo is in active development before 1.0. These guides are updated frequently.

A library is a set of media folders with its own metadata settings. Manage libraries in the web app as a server administrator.

Add a library

1. Prepare your folders. In Docker, find the path inside the container, for example /mnt/media/movies.
2. Open Admin > Libraries and select Add Library.
3. Enter a name and choose Movies, Series, or Mixed. Add the folder under Folders. You can add more than one folder for the same type.
4. Review Metadata Language and Provider Priority. TMDB and TVDB are installed by default. Keep the providers you want checked, most preferred first. To add another provider, install its plugin.
5. Save the library. Use its Scan action, then watch its scan status.

When the scan finishes, open the library and play one title.

Choose a library type

Use Movies for films, Series for episodic video, or Mixed to scan both in one library. Silo decides whether each item in a Mixed library is a movie or an episode from its folders and filename, so separate libraries give more predictable results.

Client	Mixed video libraries
Web	Creates and browses Mixed libraries
Android phone and tablet	Classifies Mixed as a Video library
iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV	Mixed libraries are included under Movies and Series

Audiobook, ebook, and comic libraries are Beta. See the audiobook library setup and ebook and comic setup. For Podcasts and Music, see Podcasts and music.

Files are missing

Make sure the host disk or network mount is available before scanning again. A folder that exists but is empty often means a disconnected drive.

For Docker, compare MEDIA_ROOT with the folder entered in Silo. If the host’s /srv/media/movies is mounted at /mnt/media/movies, enter /mnt/media/movies in Silo. Silo also needs read permission on the files and permission to open their parent folders.

If files are found but identified incorrectly, rename them using the naming guide or use Match Item.

Scan or refresh

Scan finds new and changed files in the library folders. Refresh Metadata asks metadata providers again about items already in the library. Scan for a new file; refresh for an updated description or poster.

For ongoing imports from another service, set up Autoscan after a normal scan succeeds.

Hide or remove a library

Turn off Enabled to hide a library from browsing and skip its scans, for example while a media disk is offline.

Delete library removes the library from Silo and can’t be undone. Back up first if you might want it back. Deleting and recreating a library doesn’t fix a failed scan.