Choose Jellyfin library types before importing folders

The useful distinctions

• A library can include multiple filesystem paths.
• Movies, Shows and Music use dedicated content types.
• The documentation discourages Mixed libraries because metadata can be unreliable.

Design around the catalogue

A folder location answers where files are stored. A library type answers how the server should interpret them. Treat these as separate decisions when planning an import. Two movie directories on different drives may belong in one catalogue, while a movie directory and a music directory usually need different rules. A short inventory prevents a convenient physical grouping from becoming a confusing browsing experience.

Run a narrow pilot

Use a handful of files with known identities before indexing the entire collection. Check the resulting title, grouping and navigation rather than judging success by the number of imported items. The synthetic plan below keeps films together across two volumes while giving albums their own scanner context. It illustrates a design choice, not a requirement to reproduce these paths on a server.

Keep the decision reversible

Write down the chosen type beside each path in your inventory. If a pilot produces the wrong structure, revisit that mapping before renaming hundreds of files. A missing source folder, an unsuitable content type and an incorrect metadata match need different corrections. Preserve this distinction in any support report so another person can repeat the same small import and assess its result.

A focused way to proceed

1. List the kinds of media in each proposed source folder.
2. In the administration Dashboard, open Server, Libraries and Add Media Library.
3. Choose the dedicated content type and add the relevant paths.
4. Save one small library first and inspect its item structure before adding the remainder.

Worked example · synthetic

Library: Workshop Films | Type: Movies | Paths: /media/films-a, /media/films-b
Library: Workshop Albums | Type: Music | Path: /media/albums

Read the comparison

A coherent item structure confirms the initial design; item count alone does not validate matching.

When to stop or ask for help

If an accessible, correctly typed pilot imports incorrectly, provide the type, folder layout and affected item metadata without disclosing private paths.