See This First

The See This First sub-tab is the friendliest way to bring new audio files into your library. It walks you through the process step by step, asking a few simple questions to figure out the best approach for your particular batch of files. If you're new to Librarian, start here.

If you're importing from an existing database from another system, or you need to extract metadata from filenames or embedded tags, the other Import sub-tabs handle those tasks — but getting your files in through this wizard first is usually the right move.

Step 1 — Choose Your Files

The first screen asks you two things: which files you want to import, and where in your Station Folder they should live.

Selecting Files

Click Browse for Files to open a standard file picker. You can select as many audio files as you like in one go — hold Shift or ⌘ to select multiple files. Librarian accepts any audio format that macOS can play, which covers pretty much everything you're likely to encounter.

Once you've selected files, their names appear in the list below the Browse button so you can confirm you've got the right batch before proceeding.

Choosing a Destination

The destination picker shows the existing subfolders inside your Station Folder's music directory. Click one to select it as the destination for the files you're importing. These subfolders become the categories you see in the left pane of Librarian's main window, so choose a folder that makes organizational sense — Rock, Country, Jingles, whatever your station uses.

If you need a new category, you can create a new folder in Finder first, then come back and refresh — or simply add the folder to your Station Folder's music directory and Librarian will pick it up on the next library load.

Importing

Once you've selected files and a destination, click Import. Librarian copies the files into the chosen folder and adds an entry for each one to your library. The wizard then moves to the next step.

Step 2 — What Came With Your Files?

After the files are copied, the wizard asks a simple question: did these files come with a database (a spreadsheet or TSV file listing artist names, titles, and other metadata), or are they just audio files on their own?

• Just files: Librarian creates bare-minimum library entries for each file — the file path is recorded, and everything else starts empty. You'll fill in the metadata using the Attributes tab, the Filenames sub-tab, or the Embedded Info sub-tab.
• Files + database: The wizard moves on to ask about your filename patterns, then directs you to the Existing Database sub-tab where you can match up the database columns with Librarian's fields.

Step 3 — Filename Patterns (if applicable)

If your files came with a database, the wizard asks one more question: do all the filenames follow the same naming pattern (like ArtistName - SongTitle.mp3), or is it a mixed bag?

• Same naming pattern: The wizard points you to the Filenames sub-tab, where you can define the pattern once and extract artist and title information for the whole batch automatically.
• Mixed filenames: You'll use the Existing Database sub-tab to match things up manually by column.

The "Add to Station" Quick Action

Librarian installs a Add to Station Quick Action in Finder on its first launch. This lets you right-click any audio file (or selection of files) in Finder, choose Quick Actions › Add to Station, and send them directly to Librarian without switching apps first.

A small window appears asking which Station Folder subfolder to put them in. Choose a destination, click OK, and Librarian copies the files, updates the library, and navigates to the Attributes tab so you can fill in the details right away.

If the Quick Action doesn't appear in your Finder context menu, it may need to be enabled in System Settings › Extensions › Finder Extensions.