Database Users

How much of the B&N stuff can you delete?

I would like to pare down my Nook a bit.
I do like the native reader app and I borrow library books.
Yes, I could use the OverDrive reader, but the native reader is much better.
The first thing that went was Shop.apk
It was kind of annoying to search for stuff on my Nook and come up with 50,000 suggestions of books that I could buy.
Social.apk seems to go away painlessly too.
Deleting (or renaming) Home.apk breaks the "Last Read" icon on the desktop.
You can still get there by Library and hitting the top of most recent.
It gets you to the right page.
It probably would not be hard to write an app to do the last read function.
Moreover, you'd have a system icon to do with what you will.
(It sends an intent that is not handled. I'll have to make a receiver and see what it is.)
Okay, deleting Home.apk also breaks additions to Library.
But, you can still borrow books on Adobe Digital Editions and read them by clicking them in a file browser.
Oh, well, might as well delete Library.apk
Hmm, I guess that Library.apk is a search content provider.
Books no longer show up in global search.
I guess that I'll have to roll my own.
Re-enable Home.apk, disable Reader.apk and see what intent goes.
(Last page read is kept in /data/data/com.bn.nook.reader.activities/databases/lastreadingpoint.db
Select ean from lastreadingpoint order by lastupdated
I'm not trying to get around the DRM or anything. I just want to get rid of all the cruft.

I see what you're trying to do here

I've been playing with this some more.
Reader.apk keeps track itself of last page read.
If you just use a file manager to open your books you'll get the right page.
If you are a big library user and use Adobe Digital Editions,
then the info that ADE dumps on your Nook could be integrated nicely.
You could have your books listed and show the return date.

Hmm, do you think it could be possible to fully debrand the device and have it running a normal, common Eclair, but using the actual ROM as base? like, deleting the B&N apps and creating custom providers & intent receivers to avoid FCs and such?

Well, if you delete (or rename) Home.apk and Library.apk but still like to use Reader.apk (the native epub reader),
then you might need a convenient way to get to your last read book.
It's not rocket science and I haven't figured out the little book icon on the status bar yet,
but if you want to get back to your book here is a little app to go to last read.
Put the icon on your desktop and click the "L" to go to last read.

Did you replace library, or just completely delete it?

darkguy2008 said:
Hmm, do you think it could be possible to fully debrand the device and have it running a normal, common Eclair, but using the actual ROM as base? like, deleting the B&N apps and creating custom providers & intent receivers to avoid FCs and such?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've also wondered this, I use my nook for Kindle more than I do B&N lol. It would be great if we could get a ROM to flash that removes everything from the device and just makes it run stock Android then use Kindle and B&N apps, as well as whatever other apps for reading epubs to read our books. Don't know if this is possible but it would be nice, then we could fully repurpose all the buttons on the device purely for Android OS

And make a custom e-ink friendly version of the android homescreen, possibly including no-refresh?

Right now I've got the following apps deleted:
DemoMode.apk
Home.apk
Library.apk
Shop.apk
Social.apk
I will be working on a replacement library app.
I don't use the Kindle app. Do people who do also use the Nook native reader?
At the lowest level, all you need is a file manager.
I presume that each of the readers keep track of last page.
(Regarding the Nook lastreadingpoint:
Going straight to the database is the wrong approach, using the content provider is the right way.
LastRead.apk uses that.)
Ok, it's a neat hack to watch video on the Nook, but you really wouldn't want your Nook in A2 mode all the time.
As I've said before, the best uses of A2 is when an app knows when to use it, when dragging, scrolling, zooming.
If you have the source code to a browser/viewer/whatever, putting wrappers around the dragging/scrolling/zooming operation would be an improvement.
Personally, I have no problem with my ADW Launcher.
That it blurs and trails when parking an app on the desktop is no big deal.

I've got the little book icon on the status bar to open the last book in the native Nook reader.
That is, if you don't have Home.apk or (B&N) Library.apk
Here is a stop-gap release.
It works fine for the "Currently reading" but there is not yet other functionality in it.
I left it as a complete application so that you can easily see if you have it installed.
The actual "application" part of it is a blank screen.
No need to run it or put it on your desktop.
Just install it and click the little book on the status bar.

Renate NST said:
I've got the little book icon on the status bar to open the last book in the native Nook reader.
That is, if you don't have Home.apk or (B&N) Library.apk
Here is a stop-gap release.
It works fine for the "Currently reading" but there is not yet other functionality in it.
I left it as a complete application so that you can easily see if you have it installed.
The actual "application" part of it is a blank screen.
No need to run it or put it on your desktop.
Just install it and click the little book on the status bar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hm, looks interesting, seems like you've managed to already wrap some events to dummy workers we can attach to in the future and mod this thing up . Awesome!
I'll be testing it somewhere between today and tomorrow. Right now I'm trying to replace the stock keyboard. LatinIME.apk is deleteable but there isn't any working keyboard for it yet (I've tried GO Keyboard, GB Keyboard for Froyo/Eclair and HTC IME with no avail) and it's one of the biggest annoyances I have with it since I need more of a PC-keyboard-lookalike rather than an ebook keyboard

Although I am not getting the point of your mission :-D try Hacker's keyboard. It is possible to google out android 2.1 version. It is the best I have found so far although it is quite dark.

Just thought I'd drop this link here for hacker's keyboard.
http://code.google.com/p/hackerskeyboard/issues/detail?id=57
Also, make sure that after you install it you move it to /system/app

Googie2149 said:
Just thought I'd drop this link here for hacker's keyboard.
http://code.google.com/p/hackerskeyboard/issues/detail?id=57
Also, make sure that after you install it you move it to /system/app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man, you rock! I've wanted that keyboard to work specifically. Thanks a lot!!

I've had some progress on the Library replacement.
It's not ready for prime time, but it is cute.
It will list the expiration date of your library books.
It's nice to be able to fit over 10 titles on the screen.

Renate NST said:
I've had some progress on the Library replacement.
It's not ready for prime time, but it is cute.
It will list the expiration date of your library books.
It's nice to be able to fit over 10 titles on the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's awesome!
When will you release it?

I've been working on two different approaches.
One is to use the Android native mediastore.
There are some bugs with this and it can get out of sync.
The other is to do all the searching for books myself.
That works ok as long as the books are found in the usual places:
/system/media/books
/data/media/B&N Downloads/Books
/media/My Files/Books
/media/Digital Editions
/sdcard/My Files/Books
Are there any other locations that I am missing?

darkguy2008 said:
When will you release it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really don't know if it suits anyone's needs besides my own.
Because the stock Home.apk, Library.apk and Shop.apk are all tied together,
to have my app work correctly you have to rename or delete the three of them.
As far as I know it should allow books bought from B&N to still work correctly,
but I don't know because I don't own any. I only get library books or Gutenberg.
Is it important for people to be able to buy B&N books directly on their Nook?

Renate NST said:
Is it important for people to be able to buy B&N books directly on their Nook?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not if it's free?
Naturally, I speak for myself only.
You need credit card added to buy B&N free books still...
From another hand you can get same free books somewhere else, right?

Apokrifx is right, also, that app would suit me too. I need a credit card to buy B&N books, which I don't have -and- I'm not interested at all in using it as a reader. If I want to read something I'll download it and slam it through a PDF reader installed on it.
My main use for it is to take out ALL of the B&N stuff and use it as an android tablet, so, to me, it's really useful

Sync page between native B&N reader and Aldiko/Mantano?

Is it possible to do this? I have both an Android phone and Android tablet and I would love to be able to sync my last-page-read between my Nook, but most of my content is from inkmesh or public domain.
I know you can run either of the mentioned readers on a rooted Touch, but I just can't give up the native reader (and partial refresh mode) to run a non-optimized, always-refreshing reader.

Where your books are from makes no difference.
Nook Reader.apk keeps track of it all.
Reading the last read page location is easy.
I'll have to see if writing it is easy too.
More later.
It's later.
The problem with syncing books is that it's not as easy as just using page numbers.
Reader.apk uses fragments to store last reading point.
For instance, in my book I'm at:
Code:
Shel_9781588369284_epub_c03_r1.htm#point(/1/4/2/2/1:0)
Even though that's page 75, you can't just say page 75.
I would be interested to know how the other readers store last point.
If it uses some form of DOM fragments then maybe it could work.

My guess is that all RMSDK-based apps (like Aldiko, Mantano Reader, and probably Nook Reader) use the same location format. So you'll probably find similar locations on Aldiko and Mantano Reader, and copy-pasting those around should work.

Oh! That's a new acronym for me: RMSDK.
In point of fact, that's what the column is called in the Nook Reader database.
I'll have to look at that stuff.

[Q] Will I be able to buy from B&N if I disable their apps?

I just got a Nook UK in the last sale and it's my first one, so I'm a total noob to the e-book world.
However, I'm an android user and rom flashing addicted for long, so since I got my reader I've only been tweaking it and haven't actually read a word... haha.
So, already updated to 1.2.1, rooted, kernel tweaks and the whole lot. I haven't installed gapps on it to keep it minimal as possible, I'm dowloading the apks on my phone and installing via ADB.
So, on to the question:
by removing all these B&N apps does it mean I won't be able to sync/buy from their store?
I'm already getting to know Calibre and checking other places to buy books, but it looks like that if I remove the apps and one day would like to buy from B&N again the only option would be to re-install the apps in order to get the ebook or am I missing something?
Some of you disable all of the B&N apps, like:
Originally Posted by Mnurlan from the thread
Guide/HowTo/Tips'nTricks - The perfect Nook Simple Touch Setup w/ battery optimizations
AFfileDownloadService.apk (Hint: disables book covers, skip it if you like book covers)
AccountAndSyncSettings.apk
AirRuntime.apk
BnAuthenticationService.apk
BnCloudRequestSvc.apk
Browser.apk
CloudService.apk
DemoMode.apk
DeviceManager.apk
DeviceRegistrator.apk
Gallery.apk
GoogleSearch.apk
Music.apk
NookCommunity.apk
Phone.apk
PicoTts.apk
QuickStartActivity.apk
Shop.apk
Social.apk
TelephonyProvider.apk
TtsService.apk
WaveformDownloader.apk
tl;dr
Want to keep my NST minimal and remove all clutter, but:
how do you guys manage your ebooks and where do you buy them from without the B&N apps and what to do If I ever want to buy from them again?

Probably wouldn't be able to buy on device without having the B&N apps installed/enabled or maybe the standalone Nook Android app. Not sure if with that setup it'd be able to read DRM'd Nook books (probably wouldn't auto load them, but might be able to when sideloaded) but if it can't it's very easy to strip the DRM, and you can buy and download the book from your browser on your computer. Or if it's available DRM free in another store that might also be an option

neoman4426 said:
Probably wouldn't be able to buy on device without having the B&N apps installed/enabled or maybe the standalone Nook Android app. Not sure if with that setup it'd be able to read DRM'd Nook books (probably wouldn't auto load them, but might be able to when sideloaded) but if it can't it's very easy to strip the DRM, and you can buy and download the book from your browser on your computer. Or if it's available DRM free in another store that might also be an option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your answer
I wouldn't mind having to download to my computer and then transfer to the reader, but at least the B&N store doesn't give me the option to download.
Anyways, when I dig more into the reading world I'll find out the best set up soon enough.

I'm not guaranteeing it'll still be able to read the DRM'd books as I haven't tried the guide in question, it's always been either a full root or stock for me. That said, the Nook desktop application allows you to download the encrypted file, and all my purchased books show a download option in many places, such as on the overview page and from the "My Nook" landing. Even if the Nook itself can no longer read them, again not saying it will or won't, stripping of the DRM is trivial, Python script (also a Calibre plugin available that incorporates it and will auto strip any Nook books you import, and you can set it to auto import from a certain directory so you could point that to, say, the place where the Nook desktop app downloads them) that computes the key needed to decrypt (requires you to enter the credit card linked to your B&N account since that's part of the hash used, but the CC# is never written to disk or sent anywhere) and you can use it on any device that will read epubs, including the Nook if it no longer decrypts on device as it'll be treated like any other sideloaded DRM free book.

miguelitu said:
Thank you for your answer
I wouldn't mind having to download to my computer and then transfer to the reader, but at least the B&N store doesn't give me the option to download.
Anyways, when I dig more into the reading world I'll find out the best set up soon enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure you can download your books to your computer. Logon to your B&N Account. Click on My Account at the top of the page. In the Digital Content section click on Manage Your Nook Library to get a list of your books with links to download them.

neoman4426 said:
I'm not guaranteeing it'll still be able to read the DRM'd books as I haven't tried the guide in question, it's always been either a full root or stock for me. That said, the Nook desktop application allows you to download the encrypted file, and all my purchased books show a download option in many places, such as on the overview page and from the "My Nook" landing. Even if the Nook itself can no longer read them, again not saying it will or won't, stripping of the DRM is trivial, Python script (also a Calibre plugin available that incorporates it and will auto strip any Nook books you import, and you can set it to auto import from a certain directory so you could point that to, say, the place where the Nook desktop app downloads them) that computes the key needed to decrypt (requires you to enter the credit card linked to your B&N account since that's part of the hash used, but the CC# is never written to disk or sent anywhere) and you can use it on any device that will read epubs, including the Nook if it no longer decrypts on device as it'll be treated like any other sideloaded DRM free book.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great advice again, thank you

straygecko said:
Sure you can download your books to your computer. Logon to your B&N Account. Click on My Account at the top of the page. In the Digital Content section click on Manage Your Nook Library to get a list of your books with links to download them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got an UK Nook and for some reason it works differently. I got a book I bought from the e-reader, it shows on my account library at nook.com without option to download it and using the same login at the barnesandnobles.com it shows my nook connected to my account but the book does not show at the library...it looks like they made some weird distinctions on how to handle books bought outside US or something like that.
For testing, I added a free book to my library via nook.com, and it shows on my library at the barnesandnoble.com, so it seems that the books purchased in pounds won't behave the same way and don't have a straightforward way of downloading it.
I mean, I already took the file from the device and removed the DRM, but annoying that I'm not just able to download it.

Would anyone like a home page like this?

So I was thinking of writing a replacement home for my nook touch, as I have a little bit of android development experience under my belt from my previous smartphone. I like the design of the stock home screen, because i mostly use my nook for reading. I never use the B&N store to get books though, so the "popular books" (top 5 of the BN top 100 or whatever) and "new" book sections mean nothing to me...
I'd replace the "new book" part with a random book from the library (in a "pick from a hat" fashion) each time the home is viewed, and replace the "popular books" area with books from a "to read" list the user can determine.
Is this something anyone else would be interested in too, and is there somewhere I can find nook-specific stuff for programming it? (the B&N development page is offline as of discontinuation of the nook color)

tinferbrains said:
So I was thinking of writing a replacement home for my nook touch, as I have a little bit of android development experience under my belt from my previous smartphone. I like the design of the stock home screen, because i mostly use my nook for reading. I never use the B&N store to get books though, so the "popular books" (top 5 of the BN top 100 or whatever) and "new" book sections mean nothing to me...
I'd replace the "new book" part with a random book from the library (in a "pick from a hat" fashion) each time the home is viewed, and replace the "popular books" area with books from a "to read" list the user can determine.
Is this something anyone else would be interested in too, and is there somewhere I can find nook-specific stuff for programming it? (the B&N development page is offline as of discontinuation of the nook color)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm intrigued by this idea. Right now I only see the B&N home screen when I reboot unless I do a long-press of the "n" button. I can foresee the day when those two areas you mention will both be out of luck. In fact, I can foresee the day when just about any app that will run on the NST, but needs to access information from a remote server, will no longer be able to do so.
I have a different suggestion for the "new reads" section. It's probably impractical but what about displaying meta data for the current book there? Of course, the print would have to be on the small side--maybe you'd need to be able to scroll. I've always missed the ability to display this info in the library for side-loaded books (by double-tap). Books from Calibre can have the data as part of the epub file already, there's just no way to access it.
For me, the "what to read next" section could just be a random selection of what's in the library. Or maybe that's a better place for the meta data display.
Just some thoughts. Sounds like an interesting project.
Edit: the more I thought about it, the sillier my suggestion seemed! Your idea is best. I look forward to seeing how it develops.

nmyshkin said:
I'm intrigued by this idea. Right now I only see the B&N home screen when I reboot unless I do a long-press of the "n" button. I can foresee the day when those two areas you mention will both be out of luck. In fact, I can foresee the day when just about any app that will run on the NST, but needs to access information from a remote server, will no longer be able to do so.
I have a different suggestion for the "new reads" section. It's probably impractical but what about displaying meta data for the current book there? Of course, the print would have to be on the small side--maybe you'd need to be able to scroll. I've always missed the ability to display this info in the library for side-loaded books (by double-tap). Books from Calibre can have the data as part of the epub file already, there's just no way to access it.
For me, the "what to read next" section could just be a random selection of what's in the library. Or maybe that's a better place for the meta data display.
Just some thoughts. Sounds like an interesting project.
Edit: the more I thought about it, the sillier my suggestion seemed! Your idea is best. I look forward to seeing how it develops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like your ideas. Pulling the metadata into the new reads spot might be cool, and random books may be easier than the user-determined list... who knows?

[SOLVED?] The mysteries of the "now reading" button

I must have a unique way of using my devices because I've never seen this issue reported on the forum.
Firstly, I just want to say that lastreadingpoint.db seems to be something of a garbage bin. I'm working with one of my older devices right now (formerly my principal reader) and the db is filled with books that were deleted long ago. Now, perhaps, cleanup of this file is supposed to happen when books are removed via UMS since that's the only provision B&N made for removing side-loaded content, but I doubt it. Since I just use a file manager, I may be frustrating some grand design that would keep the db file tidy. NOT.
But I digress. My real beef is the unpredictability of the button. When I select a new book from the library and move along a few pages to the first chapter, I often return to the home page to deal with some other things and then set the device aside until I'm ready to start my new book. But when I do return and tap that button, I generally get the last book I just finished (at the last page....). If I have deleted that book already then I'll get some other book, maybe an anthology I frequent, wherever I left off.
Inspection of lastreadingpoint.db shows no indication that I ever selected a new book.
I have struggled with this for a long time and realize that without knowing exactly when and under what circumstances the db would actually be updated, this is really difficult to run down. I just tried another experiment and put the device to sleep manually after starting a new book (book still displayed). Then I woke it up and returned to the home screen (i.e., my launcher, not the B&N Home). The "now reading" button worked correctly! And repeatedly.
BUT...A look at lastreadingpoint.db still did not show that the new book had been opened! This helps explain why my overtures with sqlite were not having much effect.
It's a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, enclosed in a B&N box.
I just want the #$%&*% button to do what you would expect it to do without a lot of nonsense. It's easier to get it to consistently open a current Kindle book then to open an epub in the stock reader.
Why?
Edit: The next day: I accessed the book one more time this morning without any problem and copied out the database again. This time it finally showed an entry for the book with the correct access time.
Edit: 9-12-22 Nothing seems to work consistently except for one change. I have installed on my devices a little app called "NookReader". It's buried deep in the old posts of the forum and its purpose is to allow epubs to be opened via a file manager (which I never do). In effect it creates a "listener" which the stock system lacks.
Well, it seems the stock system doesn't like eavesdropping. When I uninstalled the app from the device I had been experimenting with the effect was immediate and I was able to move from selection to selection, each time returning to the most recent book correctly using the "now reading" button. Another device required an uninstall as well as a reboot in order to start behaving properly.
Moral: if you're not using it, get rid of it!

nmyshkin said:
I have struggled with this for a long time and realize that without knowing exactly when and under what circumstances the db would actually be updated, this is really difficult to run down. I just tried another experiment and put the device to sleep manually after starting a new book (book still displayed). Then I woke it up and returned to the home screen (i.e., my launcher, not the B&N Home). The "now reading" button worked correctly! And repeatedly.
BUT...A look at lastreadingpoint.db still did not show that the new book had been opened! This helps explain why my overtures with sqlite were not having much effect.
It's a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, enclosed in a B&N box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@nmyshkin ... even i've struggled with something like this ... inconsistencies of the last reading point actions ...
nmyshkin said:
Edit: 9-12-22 Nothing seems to work consistently except for one change. I have installed on my devices a little app called "NookReader". It's buried deep in the old posts of the forum and its purpose is to allow epubs to be opened via a file manager (which I never do). In effect it creates a "listener" which the stock system lacks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are you referring to the app that goes by 'dev.nookreader.apk' ? ... for now i've just renamed it to 'dev.nookreader.apk.bkp' so its as good as removed ...
some database problems i think i can report, one that i've annoyingly encountered, in this I've sometimes found the order of the books in the default library aren't displayed as they should have ... Iam referring to the 'Most Recent' sorting option where the last opened/accessed book should ideally show up at the top most ... BUT SADLY IT DOESN'T !!! ...
Most annoying is when i search a book open and read it and expect it to show up on the top or at least in the first few pages of the library ... but they don't ... search is the only option to reopen such a book ...
Aren't the books that are opened using the 'Search' option of the library not supposed to show high up the library ?
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS ANNOYANCE RID OF ... i would love to find all the last accessed books in the topmost sorting order as its supposed to work ...
I don't even know what database records the last accessed book information ... any and all help appreciated to identify and fix this annoyance.
PS : Are "New"' books(Lend Me) installed from the B&N store supposed to show up at the topmost ?

Update : strangely the searched book shows up in the B&N Home under 'READING Now' section but its not showing in the Library as the topmost book in it ... another inconsistent DB recording ???

aiamuzz said:
Update : strangely the searched book shows up in the B&N Home under 'READING Now' section but its not showing in the Library as the topmost book in it ... another inconsistent DB recording ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, well, I can't say that I know a lot more now than when I started this thread.
What I can say is that the device seems to work with a copy of the database in RAM or else keeps variables in RAM that are not written to the database until much, much later (like during or after a nap).
I began to think about how I use the device vs. how B&N intended it to be used so I made a few tests going from the B&N Home to the Library, to a book. Then, there is really only one way to get out of the book and that is through the QuickNav buttons. I thought that maybe the trigger to the database update was somewhere in there, but I saw the same inconsistent results and delayed updating of the file as with my own sequence.
This is why I eventually abandoned the database as a source of info for my SetCover app and started relying (at least partly) on my own data. All I can say for "sure" at this point is that a good nap on the open book seems to aid in the correct information making its way into the database. Not very technical, I know.
If you are getting really spurious behavior from your lastreadingpoint.db or you find that it is full of deadwood, you can clean out the entire thing as here. Of course you will lose absolutely everything in the database if you do that, so it's a "last gasp" scenario.
For me, things seem to have calmed down if I just leave an epub open in the stock reader for awhile. And after all, what's the rush to get back to the home screen? (in general). That's not how the reader was probably meant to be used.

aiamuzz said:
Update : strangely the searched book shows up in the B&N Home under 'READING Now' section but its not showing in the Library as the topmost book in it ... another inconsistent DB recording ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you run this test ?
1. Open stock library.
2. Search for some book that is buried in the last pages of the Library.
3. Open that book from the search results.
4. Flip a few pages to emulate that you've read that book.
Ideally that book should be the Last Read (Reading Now) ... WHICH INDEED DOES WORK SO !!!
Having been a recent book that one has read ...
The Library app should also show that book on the very first page as its the most recent one ... BUT IT DOES NOT SHOW SO IN THE LIBRARY !!!
I would really like the searched and opened books to move to the front pages of the Library App and stay there and get moved down as and when other books are opened ... at worst it should be easily locatable in the first few pages of the Library App ... the 'recent' book sorting option in the Library and the place where this info is stored may have to be trouble shot ...

aiamuzz said:
Can you run this test ?
1. Open stock library.
2. Search for some book that is buried in the last pages of the Library.
3. Open that book from the search results.
4. Flip a few pages to emulate that you've read that book.
Ideally that book should be the Last Read (Reading Now) ... WHICH INDEED DOES WORK SO !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, there you are. I've never used the "search" function on the NST for anything! But I did, just to humor you, and I see that it actually turns up a "hit".
I use the Library almost exclusively in shelf format. What I personally would like is for the @%W$#% Library to remember that. Of course, it will not, because then I would not see all the nifty new books I just purchased (NOT) from B&N as they are delivered.
Any "adjustments" to the Library behavior are beyond my pay grade and you won't get you-know-who interested in that either, as she has her own Library app. I've looked at a lot of Library alternatives. There were many promising looking ones in the early days but all seem to have been abandoned at some incomplete point by their developers (except for the one mentioned above).
I just live with it. I don't have hundreds of books on my device. When I finish a book I actually delete it (gasp!) [except for something like the Bible].
But it would be nice to understand the rules or thinking behind the "reading now" business. However, since the database doesn't seem to accept input (although you can read from it), it doesn't matter much I guess.