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Searching for Books

BookWish makes it easy to find the books you're looking for with powerful search tools and filters.

Text Search​

  1. Tap the search icon in the navigation bar
  2. Enter your search query in the search field
  3. Results appear as you type (with a 500ms debounce for performance)

You can search by:

  • Book title - Full or partial titles
  • Author name - First name, last name, or full name
  • ISBN - ISBN-10 or ISBN-13 format
Search Tips
  • Searches are case-insensitive
  • Partial matches work - searching "Harry" will find "Harry Potter"
  • You don't need to use quotes for multi-word searches

Barcode Scanning​

For the fastest search experience, use the built-in barcode scanner:

  1. Open the search page
  2. Tap the QR code viewfinder icon in the search bar
  3. Point your camera at the ISBN barcode on the back of a book
  4. The book is automatically searched when the barcode is detected

The barcode scanner:

  • Uses your device camera to read ISBN barcodes
  • Automatically populates the search field with the ISBN
  • Filters results to books only
  • Works with most standard ISBN barcodes
note

The barcode scanner only appears when searching for books. It's hidden when other search types are active.

Search Filters​

Filter by Type​

BookWish's unified search can find different types of content. Use the filter chips to narrow your results:

Available filters:

  • Books - Find books by title, author, or ISBN
  • People - Find other readers and users
  • Stores - Find bookstores by name or location
  • Clubs - Find reading clubs
  • Challenges - Find reading challenges
  • Lines - Find shared quotes and thoughts

How filters work:

  • Tap a filter chip to select it
  • Multiple filters can be active at once
  • When no filters are selected, all types are searched
  • Filters persist until you change them
info

In selection mode (when choosing a book for a specific purpose), the search is automatically limited to books only.

Search Results​

Result Grouping​

Search results are organized by type:

  • Each type appears in its own section
  • Section headers show the type name and result count
  • Results are separated by dividers for easy scanning

Book Results​

Book result tiles show:

  • Cover thumbnail (48×64px) or placeholder icon
  • Book title - Up to 2 lines with ellipsis
  • Authors - Comma-separated list, up to 1 line

Tap any book to open the Book Details overlay.

People Results​

People result tiles display:

  • Avatar or initial badge
  • Display name
  • Username (with @ prefix)

Tap to view their profile.

Store Results​

Store result tiles show:

  • Store logo or building icon
  • Store name
  • Location (city and state)

Tap to browse the store's inventory.

Other Result Types​

  • Clubs - Displayed as club cards with member count
  • Challenges - Shown as challenge cards with participant count
  • Lines - Displayed as line cards with book context

Empty States​

No Results Found​

If your search returns no results, you'll see:

  • A "No results found" message
  • Helpful suggestion to try different terms or check spelling
  • Browser the cat offering friendly encouragement

Initial State​

Before entering a search query:

  • "Search for books" message
  • Subtitle explaining you can search by title, author, or ISBN
  • Search icon placeholder

Error State​

If a search fails:

  • Error icon and message
  • The failed search query
  • Retry button to attempt the search again

Search Performance​

  • Debounced input - Searches trigger 500ms after you stop typing
  • Optimized results - Results are paginated and grouped efficiently
  • Fast image loading - Thumbnails with error fallbacks
  • Cached searches - Recent searches may load faster

Tips for Better Results​

  1. Use specific terms - More specific searches yield better results
  2. Try ISBN for exact matches - Use the barcode scanner for precise results
  3. Check spelling - BookWish searches exactly what you type
  4. Use author last names - Often more reliable than first names
  5. Filter early - Select the type filter before searching if you know what you want
  6. Scan barcodes - The fastest way to find a specific book