According to a Pew Research study, 23% of American adults say they haven’t read a book in over a year.
Not because they don’t want to, but because they lose track of what they’ve started, what they want to read next, and the insights they’ve gathered along the way.
This article walks you through eight Notion book tracker templates to organize your reading life.
PS: We’ll also touch on powerful ClickUp alternatives that solve Notion’s biggest limitations: slow performance with large libraries, limited offline access, and clunky collaboration for book clubs.
Notion Book Tracker Templates
- What to Look for in a Book Tracker Template
- Notion Book Tracker Templates for Reading Lists and Notes
- Limitations of Using Notion Templates for Book Tracking
- ClickUp Templates for Book Tracking
- 1. List Template by ClickUp™
- 2. Project Tracker Template by ClickUp™
- 3. Daily Notes Template by ClickUp™
- 4. Cornell Note Template by ClickUp™
- 5. Personal Productivity Template by ClickUp™
- 6. Weekly Checklist Template by ClickUp™
- 7. Getting Things Done (GTD) Template by ClickUp™
- 8. Book Planning Template by ClickUp™
- Keep the Reading Streak Going With ClickUp
- Frequently Asked Questions About Book Tracker Templates
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat to Look for in a Book Tracker Template
You’ve decided to get organized, so you head to a template gallery.
The problem is, not all templates are created equal. You can waste hours downloading a cute reading list template that looks great but can’t handle more than 20 books, or a complex system with dozens of properties you’ll never use.
This friction is what causes most people to abandon their tracking habit. Your tool should make reading more enjoyable, not feel like a chore. Before you download anything, know what to look for. A great book tracker template gives you structure without being rigid.
- Flexible views: A good template isn’t just a list. It should offer multiple ways to see your data, like a gallery for covers, a table for sorting, and a calendar for scheduling your reading time
- Essential properties: At a minimum, you need fields for the book’s title, author, your reading status (e.g., To Be Read, Reading, Finished), a star rating, and the date you completed it
- Room for notes: Your best ideas often come while reading. Your tracker should have space for longer reflections with note-taking and quotes, not just basic metadata
- Scalability: The system should work just as smoothly whether you have 10 books or 200. If it slows down as your library grows, it’s not the right tool
- Aesthetic vs. function balance: A beautiful design is motivating, but not if it comes at the cost of usability. The best templates balance an aesthetic look with powerful features
With these criteria in mind, let’s explore some of the best Notion book tracker templates available.
Summarize this article for me pleaseNotion Book Tracker Templates for Reading Lists and Notes
Finding a book-reading tracker on Notion that matches your style can be tough.
You might be a visual person who loves seeing book covers, a data-driven reader who tracks every page, or a minimalist who just wants a simple log. This section covers five standout templates, each designed for a different type of reader.
1. Book Tracker Template by Notion
If you want to get started right away without a complicated setup, the foundational Book Tracker Template is for you. It’s a clean, no-frills database that provides just the essentials, making it the perfect starting point for any reader. It’s simple, functional, and ready to go in minutes.
It comes with:
- Pre-built database including all the essential fields: title, author, genre, status, rating, and start/finish dates
- Multiple views, so you can browse your books visually in a gallery or sort and filter them in a table
- Customizable so you can add your own fields without worrying about breaking the structure
This template is ideal for readers who value simplicity and speed.
2. Aesthetic Book Tracker by Notion
For readers who are motivated by visuals, the Aesthetic Book Tracker turns your reading list into a digital bookshelf. This template prioritizes a beautiful and personal experience, making you want to come back to it again and again. It’s perfect for those who believe a tool should be as inspiring as the books it holds.
This cute reading list template is designed for visual organization: ✨
- Gallery view prominently displays book covers, creating a satisfying visual library
- Color-coded status tags and custom icons to add personality and make it easy to see what you’re reading at a glance
- Creative tags for “mood” or “vibe,” letting you categorize books beyond standard genres
Just a heads-up: highly aesthetic templates can sometimes sacrifice advanced features for looks. Make sure the visual appeal doesn’t prevent you from tracking what truly matters to you.
3. Reading Book Tracker by Notion
If you’re a goal-oriented reader, this is the Notion reading tracker for you. The Reading Book Tracker is all about momentum, with features designed to show you how much progress you’re making. It helps you stay accountable, especially when you’re tackling a big reading challenge.
This template is built for tracking progress and hitting goals:
- Fields for page count and progress percentages, so you know exactly how far along you are in each book
- Features for tracking daily reading streaks to help you build a consistent habit
- Counters for annual reading goals, perfect for a 52-book challenge or Goodreads goal, where dedicated readers often spend an average of 1.61 hours on days they read.
Setting up progress tracking takes a little extra time, but the accountability it provides is a huge payoff for dedicated readers.
Your best reading thoughts rarely arrive at a desk.
They show up mid-walk. On a commute. While you’re rinsing a coffee mug and replaying a paragraph in your head.
That’s where ClickUp Brain MAX changes the rhythm. Instead of telling yourself you’ll “log it later,” you can use Talk to Text to capture a reflection the moment it surfaces. Speak your takeaway, your question, your half-formed critique. Brain MAX transcribes it directly into your task or Doc, structured and searchable inside your workspace!
4. My Library Book Tracker Template by Notion
When your personal library starts to feel more like a public one, you need more than just a simple reading log. The My Library Book Tracker Template is designed for serious readers with large collections who need a comprehensive management system. It uses relational databases to create a powerful, interconnected library.
This template is for readers who want to manage a large collection. It comes with: 📚
- Relational databases to link books to dedicated pages for authors, series, and genres
- Separate your owned books from your wishlist to manage your collection and future purchases
- Loan tracking feature, so you never forget who borrowed your favorite novel
A quick note: This template is best for those already comfortable with Notion’s more advanced features, as relational databases can have a learning curve.
5. Book Tracker Automation Template by Notion
For power users who want to spend less time on data entry and more time reading, the Book Tracker Automation Template helps to automate repetitive actions so you can focus on your books. It uses Notion’s automation features to streamline repetitive actions, making your workflow faster and more efficient.
This template is designed to reduce manual work. It hepls you with:
- Button-triggered actions to add new books or update their status with a single click
- Template buttons ensure your note-taking format is consistent for every book you log
- Features to connect to external tools like Readwise or Goodreads using third-party connectors, which is important given that digital formats account for 14% of total U.S. publishing revenue, and readers increasingly need to sync digital highlights.
While Notion’s native automations are useful, they are still more limited than what you’d find in a dedicated productivity platform.
Summarize this article for me pleaseLimitations of Using Notion Templates for Book Tracking
You found the perfect Notion template, but after a few months, you hit a wall.
Your database is slow, you can’t log a book you finished on a flight, and trying to run a book club discussion in the comments is a mess. The tool that was supposed to make things easier has become a new source of frustration.
Notion is incredibly flexible, but that flexibility comes with tradeoffs, especially for book tracking.
- Performance at scale: Once you have hundreds of books with cover images, Notion databases can become slow and laggy, particularly on mobile devices
- Offline access is limited: Notion requires an internet connection for most functions. This is a major drawback if you want to log notes while traveling or reading at the beach
- No native reading integrations: Unlike dedicated reading apps, Notion doesn’t automatically sync with your Kindle highlights or Goodreads profile without clunky, third-party workarounds
- Collaboration friction: Sharing a tracker with a book club is possible, but real-time editing is not seamless, and comment threads can quickly become disorganized
- Mobile experience: The Notion mobile app is functional, but it’s not optimized for quick data entry. Adding a new book can feel clunky compared to the desktop experience
If these limitations sound familiar, it might be time to consider a platform built for speed, collaboration, and reliability.
Summarize this article for me pleaseClickUp Templates for Book Tracking
Your reading system shouldn’t create more work.
If you’re tired of slow databases and clunky mobile apps, ClickUp offers a better way.
Our Template Center is filled with powerful templates that solve the common frustrations of book tracking, with added benefits like true real-time collaboration, reliable Offline Mode, and ClickUp Brain, the built-in AI assistant, to help you connect ideas.
These templates are fully customizable, sync instantly across all your devices, and are ready to use in seconds.
1. List Template by ClickUp™
Tired of over-engineered templates? Start with a clean, straightforward book list using the List Template by ClickUp™. It gives you a flexible structure you can build on, letting you prioritize your reading queue with intuitive drag-and-drop organization.
This template is perfect for readers who want minimal setup and maximum flexibility.
- Use simple drag-and-drop to reorder your reading list in seconds
- Add all the book-specific data you need with ClickUp Custom Fields, like author, genre, star ratings, or reading status
- Switch between ClickUp List view, ClickUp Board view, and ClickUp Calendar view to see your reading list in a way that makes sense to you
2. Project Tracker Template by ClickUp™
For readers tackling structured projects like academic research, coursework, or themed reading challenges, a simple list won’t cut it.
You need to see the bigger picture. Transform your reading list into a manageable project with clear visibility into your progress using the Project Tracker Template by ClickUp™. It helps you:
- Track where each book stands with built-in progress tracking, including Status columns and completion percentages
- Set up ClickUp Dependencies to ensure you read a series in the correct order
- Visualize your reading progress across all your books with high-level ClickUp Dashboards
This template is ideal for anyone with a reading “project” instead of a casual list.
3. Daily Notes Template by ClickUp™
The best insights from a book are often lost if you don’t capture them immediately. Capture thoughts, quotes, and reflections as you read with the Daily Notes Template by ClickUp™. This template supports an active reading practice via:
- A structured daily entry format ensures your note-taking is consistent and organized
- Expand your thoughts into longer-form reading journals with our integrated ClickUp Docs feature
- Use ClickUp Brain to automatically summarize your notes and surface patterns and themes across your reading history
🎥 Whether you’re capturing book highlights or brainstorming connections between ideas, effective note organization is critical to getting the most from your reading. Watch this practical guide to learn proven strategies for organizing your notes so insights are never lost. 👇🏼
4. Cornell Note Template by ClickUp™
If you’re reading to learn and retain information, you need a system designed for it. Take retention-focused notes with an academic-grade structure using the Cornell Note Template by ClickUp™. It’s especially powerful for nonfiction readers who need to synthesize complex arguments and ideas.
This template helps you learn more from what you read:
- It uses the classic Cornell format with a cue column, a main notes section, and a summary area
- The structure is optimized for breaking down and understanding dense nonfiction material
- All your notes are fully searchable, making it easy to find specific insights when you need them
5. Personal Productivity Template by ClickUp™
Reading doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it’s part of your broader life and goals. Integrate your reading habits into your overall life management system with the Personal Productivity Template by ClickUp™. Stop treating your reading list as a separate to-do list and connect it to what truly matters.
This template connects your reading to your larger goals. Use it to:
- Track your reading goals alongside your other personal and professional objectives
- Schedule dedicated reading sessions in your week using time blocking
- Build a consistent reading habit with recurring task reminders and habit tracking features
6. Weekly Checklist Template by ClickUp™
Big reading goals can be intimidating. Break them down into small, manageable, recurring commitments with the Weekly Checklist Template by ClickUp™. It helps you build a powerful reading habit by satisfying consistent, daily wins. Use it to:
- Set up ClickUp Recurring tasks for weekly reading goals, like “Read for 30 minutes daily”
- Get the satisfaction of checking off a task each time you complete a reading session
- Easily duplicate your checklist each week to maintain momentum without manual setup
7. Getting Things Done (GTD) Template by ClickUp™
If you’re a fan of the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology, why not apply it to your reading life? Capture book recommendations instantly and process them into organized, actionable reading lists with the Getting Things Done (GTD) Template by ClickUp™.
This template brings the power of GTD to your bookshelf:
- Use the “Inbox” to capture book recommendations as you hear about them, without losing focus
- Move books you’re actively reading to your “Next Actions” list
- Keep your massive “To Be Read” pile in a “Someday/Maybe” list so it doesn’t create clutter
8. Book Planning Template by ClickUp™
Ready for a purpose-built system to support your writing process? Get the most comprehensive, writing-specific tracking system with the Book Planning Template by ClickUp™. It combines the best features for tracking reading/writing goals, current reads, and inspiring books into one ready-to-go template, eliminating all the setup work.
This template is the ultimate all-in-one reading system. 🤩
- It comes with a pre-built structure and ClickUp Custom Fields for ratings, reviews, and genre tags
- It’s integrated with ClickUp Brain, which can summarize your book notes or even generate reading recommendations based on your history
- It keeps your current reads, TBR pile, and completed books clearly separated for easy organization
Summarize this article for me pleaseKeep the Reading Streak Going With ClickUp
The right book tracker turns scattered reading habits into a system you’ll actually use.
That might be a simple, minimalist database. Or it might be a fully structured ClickUp workspace that connects your reading list, notes, goals, and progress in one place.
The point isn’t complexity, but continuity.
A strong tracking system does more than catalog titles. It helps you read with intention, notice patterns in what you choose, and capture insights before they disappear. Over time, your reading stops feeling random and starts feeling cumulative. Each book builds on the last.
If you’re ready to move from “I should read more” to a system that supports it, get started for free with ClickUp and build a reading workflow that grows with you.
Ready to build your reading system? Get started for free with ClickUp.
Summarize this article for me pleaseFrequently Asked Questions About Book Tracker Templates
How do I use a book tracker template for team research or book clubs?
Share the template with your group, assign books to members with ClickUp Task Assignees, use Comments for discussion threads, and create ClickUp Shared Views filtered by reader. ClickUp’s real-time collaboration and automatic cross-device sync make this seamless for everyone.
What is the difference between a reading list template and a reading tracker?
A reading list is a simple inventory of books you want to read (your TBR pile). A reading tracker is a more robust system that adds progress monitoring, completion dates, ratings, and notes—think of it as a wishlist vs. a full reading journal.
Can ClickUp templates sync reading progress across devices and team members?
Yes. ClickUp automatically syncs all data in real time across the web, desktop, and mobile apps. Plus, with Offline Mode, you can log your reading progress without an internet connection, and your updates will sync as soon as you’re back online.
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
