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BrainIT / AI Workshops
Contents · choose a chapterA home for the videos worth keepingI. Begin with one useful videoII. Give the project a homeIII. Build the first shelfIV. Find an idea, then add anotherV. Understand the next stepVI. Add the editable local appVII. Prove that it keeps your workVIII. Make the habit easyWhen something goes wrongFor the person at the front of the roomSources & a few plain-English terms

BrainIT · a library workshop

Build Your Own
Video Library

From forgotten links to useful ideas

Basic: files + HTML · Editable: local app + SQLite

Before the workshop

A home for the videos worth keeping

You remember the idea, but not the title. Somewhere in your bookmarks is the video that explained it beautifully. This workshop turns that familiar problem into a small tool of your own.

We will ask Codex to build a personal video library in two stages. First, a folder of readable records and a page you can open. Then, an editable local app with SQLite search. You describe the result, inspect what appears, and ask for improvements. You do not need to write code or know SQL.

Two useful stopping points

Finish Part IV and you have a searchable file-based collection. Finish Part VII and you have a local app with saved notes and a database search index. Either is a worthwhile result.

Bring, or prepare at home

  • A Windows or Mac laptop on which you can install software, a browser, and an internet connection.
  • Codex with access to a local project folder, signed in and working before the session. Follow the official getting-started guide. Account access and usage limits vary; check yours beforehand.
  • One short public video with captions. A two-to-five-minute video is easier to check than an hour-long interview.
  • A folder you can find again. You do not need the presenter's H: drive.

The browser version of an ordinary chat is not a substitute for the local file access used in these exercises. If you cannot set up your laptop today, follow the demonstration and use the same checkpoints afterward. Avoid putting personal material into a shared library computer.

Your pace is the right pace

Use the contents to jump to a chapter, A− and A+ to change the type, and Print / PDF to keep a reading copy. Tick a checkpoint when you have actually verified it. Checkmarks stay in this browser when storage is available; keep a note of your chapter as well. The prompts can produce different-looking apps, so compare the behavior, not the exact screen.

Two paths. Both are yours.

Open either section, or keep both open. The basic path builds a complete file-based library. The SQLite path adds editing and improved search, with a starting point for newcomers.

Open the basic pathOpen the SQLite path
Basic libraryFiles + an HTML page · Parts I–IV

10 minutes

I. Begin with one useful video

Start with something you want to find again. Cooking, gardening, family history, woodworking, a talk from work: a useful first entry gives you a reason to return to the library.

For a shared example, use BrainIT's short introduction to Code Dungeon. Its topic is not a prerequisite; we use it because it is short enough to check. You may choose your own instead.

  1. Open the video and copy its Share link.
  2. Look in its description for Show transcript. YouTube supplies this for videos with captions; some videos do not have them.
  3. Write a sentence beginning “I want to find this again when…” Keep that separate from the video's summary.

What are we saving?

A link to the original video, its title and creator, a transcript when available, a short summary, topic tags, and a few useful timestamps. We are building a catalogue, not downloading a collection of video files.

A transcript is the spoken words written down. Automatically generated captions may mishear names or technical terms. A summary is a shorter account based on those words. Neither makes the speaker's claims automatically true.

Try it: choose two things your future self might search for. For our example, “AI coding” and “software testing” make better clues than “interesting video.”

10 minutes

II. Give the project a home

Your library needs a place to live. A folder is enough to begin. Using a dedicated folder makes it easier to find your work and keeps it separate from other projects.

  1. On Windows, open File Explorer with Windows + E. On a Mac, open Finder.
  2. In Documents, create a folder called My Video Library.
  3. In Codex, create or choose a local project for that folder. If the labels differ in your version, consult the getting-started guide.
  4. Ask Codex to confirm the selected folder before it writes anything.
I am building my own personal video library. First confirm which local folder this project can access. I want to use the My Video Library folder I created in Documents. If you cannot access it, tell me how to select it. Do not create a second collection somewhere else.

Read the reply. It should identify your folder, not the presenter's folder or a temporary download location. If it is wrong, correct it before continuing.

Let the tool explain setup

Some build steps need Python, a programming tool that can run the local app. Codex should check what is already installed and explain any missing prerequisite. Ask for an isolated project environment so this exercise does not change unrelated projects. Software installs may require your permission. A library-managed laptop may need staff assistance.

Check the tools needed for this project on my operating system. Use an isolated project environment and free local dependencies. Explain any installation I need to complete. Do not add paid APIs or services. I am a beginner; give me one clear next step if something is missing.

20 minutes

III. Build the first shelf

Ask for the smallest complete version. One saved video, one readable record, one page to browse. We can improve the presentation after the information is safely stored.

Copy the prompt below, replace the bracketed video link with your actual link, and send it to Codex. Leave the other requirements in place.

Build a simple personal video library in this project folder, starting with this video: [PASTE MY VIDEO LINK HERE]. Use readable files, not a database yet. For each video, save its original link, title, creator, a broad category, topic tags, transcript with timestamps when available, a concise summary, and useful timestamped moments. Read the full transcript before summarizing. If captions are unavailable, save the link and mark the summary pending; do not invent one. Preserve the source and label machine-generated captions. Make an index.html page I can open directly, with search across titles, tags, summaries, and transcripts. Include clear A− and A+ text-size controls. Do not download full videos or publish my collection. Tell me which file to open when it is ready.

While it builds

Codex may create several files. A JSON record is structured text with labels such as title and category. A text file holds the transcript. The HTML file is the page your browser displays. You do not need to edit these by hand, but you should know where they are.

Inspect the result

  1. Open the index.html file Codex identifies. If its preview cannot open a local file, open it from File Explorer or Finder in your own browser.
  2. Check that the title and original-video link are correct.
  3. Read the summary. Compare one takeaway to the corresponding part of the video.
  4. Click a timestamp and check that it opens a useful moment.
  5. Try A+ and search one of your two clues.

If there is no transcript

Try the video's Show transcript option. If it exists, paste the transcript into Codex and label the source. Otherwise choose another captioned video for the first exercise. Keeping a pending entry is better than a confident invented summary. Transcribing a media file you provide is a later extension, not a requirement for today's first shelf.

10 minutes

IV. Find an idea, then add another

A library earns its keep when you can find something without remembering its exact title. Test that now, while your collection is small enough to inspect.

  1. Search a topic from the video rather than a word from its title.
  2. Search a word you noticed in the transcript. Confirm that the saved transcript participates in search.
  3. Search an unrelated word. A helpful empty result should appear.
  4. Clear the search and make sure the full collection returns.
Add this second video to the same library: [PASTE ANOTHER VIDEO LINK]. Follow the same transcript-review and summary process as the first entry. Preserve the first video's record. Use consistent categories and tags, and rebuild the browsing page. Detect duplicate YouTube links so a shortened link and a full link do not create two records for one video.

Refresh your library page after Codex finishes. Both videos should appear. Paste the first video's link again and ask Codex to save it; your collection should still contain two videos.

Checkpoint one: your file-based library works.

You can stop here. It is a useful collection you can open and search. Copy the folder to your normal backup location. Continue with Part V whenever you are ready.

Ask for a small improvement

Describe one observed problem, the desired result, and how you will check it. For example: “The transcript is hard to read. Increase its text size when I press A+, and keep the text inside the page.” Specific feedback is more useful than “make it better.”

Editable libraryLocal app + SQLite search · Parts V–VII

10 minutes

V. Understand the next step

The first version is like a shelf of labeled folders. SQLite adds an index that can search those folders efficiently. A local server is a different piece: it handles requests from your browser and saves edits.

SQL is a language for asking questions of structured data. SQLite is a database engine that works with a local database file. You do not need to install a separate database server or learn SQL to direct this project.

Three parts with different jobs
PartIts job in our workshop
Readable filesKeep the authoritative video records, personal notes, and transcripts.
SQLite indexMake the saved words easier to search and rank. It can be rebuilt from the files.
Local app serverServe the editable page and save changes back to your collection.

This is the same practical arrangement used in the demonstration library. We are adding SQLite search, not quietly moving all your information out of the readable files.

What does local mean?

An address beginning with 127.0.0.1 points back to the computer you are using. It is not a public website. Sending that address to a friend will not give them your library. In this design the server should listen only on your own computer.

The file page remains a reading copy. The local app becomes the place to edit notes and use the improved search. Ordinary saved browsing works offline, while caption retrieval and opening an online video need internet access.

15 minutes

VI. Add the editable local app

Keep what already works. Before asking for an upgrade, ask for a backup and a way to prove that your first entries survived.

Starting here without a basic library?

First complete the preparation checklist and select your own project folder. Then use the prompt below before the upgrade prompt above. Once your first entry exists, continue with the upgrade.

I am starting directly with the editable-library path. In my selected project folder, create readable video records and an offline index.html for this video: [PASTE MY VIDEO LINK]. Retrieve and read its full transcript when available; save its source, title, creator, category, tags, grounded summary, and useful timestamps. If a transcript is unavailable, keep it pending. Preserve any existing records. Do not download full videos or publish anything. Then tell me when I can use the SQLite upgrade prompt.

Now add the editable app

Upgrade this existing video library in place. First back up the saved records. Keep the readable records and transcripts authoritative, and add a rebuildable SQLite full-text search index. Add a local app server that listens only on this computer. In its browser page, let me edit why I saved a video, project tags, personal notes, favorites, and Unwatched / Watching / Watched status. Save edits to disk, preserve existing videos and notes, and protect against stale edits from another browser window. Add filters and ranked search, and clearly explain any synonym expansion; do not label keyword search as semantic AI search. Keep the existing offline index.html as a reading copy. Create a clearly named launcher suitable for my operating system and a short startup guide. Keep the A− / A+ controls. Use existing local tools and free dependencies, with no paid API. Verify the upgrade and tell me exactly how to start it.

The first run may take longer than the live demonstration. If installation or troubleshooting uses the remaining session time, bookmark this chapter and continue at home. If you completed the basic path, your file-based library is already usable.

Open the correct version

Use the launcher Codex creates, then follow its local address. The demonstration uses Open Library.cmd on Windows and a local address ending in a port number. Your address or launcher may differ. Ask Codex to write the exact instructions for your machine; do not copy the presenter's drive letter.

What an upgrade should not promise

A Save Video button may only save the link. Captions may need a retrieval step. The summary in this workshop is written by Codex after reading the transcript; the local app does not become an independent AI service simply because it has a button.

Likewise, word stemming and related search terms can improve results without understanding every possible meaning of a question. Try the search yourself and keep its limitations visible.

10 minutes

VII. Prove that it keeps your work

A message saying “saved” is only the beginning. Close the loop by checking that your information comes back.

  1. Open a saved video in the local app.
  2. Enter a distinctive note, such as “Use this for the Saturday garden club.” Add a project tag and mark it as a favorite.
  3. Click the save control. Refresh the browser.
  4. Confirm the note, project, favorite, and watch status remain.
  5. Search for “garden club” and check whether this entry appears.
  6. Close the browser tab, open the launcher again, and check the entry once more.

After a computer restart, the local server normally needs to be started again. The launcher should make that straightforward. Closing a browser tab is not the same as stopping a background server.

Write a short user guide inside my library that explains how to open the offline file and how to start the editable local app on my operating system. Include the actual launcher name and local address. Explain what to do after restarting the computer and when the browser says it cannot connect. Make clear that a link to the local address does not itself start a stopped server.

Make a backup you can identify

Copy your library's records and transcripts to your usual backup location. Ask Codex which folders hold your irreplaceable content. A downloadable export of notes may not include transcripts. The search index can be rebuilt, but the original notes cannot be reconstructed from nothing.

Checkpoint two: your editable library works.

Your work survives refresh, you know how to restart the app, and you have a backup. You can finish here and use it for a week before adding more features.

5 minutes

VIII. Make the habit easy

A tool becomes useful through a small repeatable habit. When you find a video, save its link and a sentence about why you care. Return to the library when a real question arises.

Create your own reusable skill

In our demonstration we created a Codex skill that recognizes a request to add a video. A skill is reusable guidance for the assistant. It tells Codex where your library lives and how to maintain it; it does not run a background service.

Create a personal Codex skill for this library so I can say “Add this video to my video library” in a future chat. Point it to my actual library folder. It should detect duplicates, retrieve and read the full transcript when available, save a grounded summary with categories and timestamps, preserve my personal notes and status, rebuild the page and SQLite index, and verify the saved entry. If captions are unavailable, save a pending entry rather than inventing content. Tell me the skill name and how to use it.

Try the skill with one new link. If it is not listed in an existing chat, try a new chat or use its explicit name. Confirm that it writes to your existing collection, rather than creating a second one.

Choose one improvement

  • Import a browser bookmark export with a preview and duplicate checks.
  • Show related videos using shared topics and project tags.
  • Add a clearly labeled local transcription fallback for audio or video files you supply.

Keep a note of what you actually need while using the library. One well-tested improvement is more useful than a long list of unfinished controls.

You have practiced a pattern you can reuse: describe a small useful outcome, build a simple version, inspect it, then add complexity for a clear reason. If you would like a second pair of eyes, BrainIT Consulting can help you choose the next step.

Self-paced reference

When something goes wrong

The app cannot connect

Open the launcher in your library folder and wait for its result. Use the address it provides. If it still fails, give Codex the visible error and ask it to check the local server and whether another app is using that port. Keep the offline file available as your reading copy.

I only see the old page

Refresh the page. Confirm that you are opening the same project folder you edited and, for saved notes, the local app rather than the offline file. Ask Codex to rebuild both the catalogue and search index after external changes.

Captions are missing or retrieval fails

Try Show transcript on the source video. Keep the entry marked pending, paste a transcript you have, or choose another captioned video. Login requirements, language differences, and provider restrictions can prevent retrieval. Repeated requests do not guarantee access.

A summary says something the video did not say

Find the relevant transcript passage, tell Codex what is wrong, and ask it to revise only that entry. A useful summary should distinguish the speaker's opinion or prediction from an independently verified fact.

I do not have a drive called H:

You do not need one. Use your own Documents folder and ask Codex to use that location consistently. The demonstration library belongs to the presenter; yours is a separate project.

I ran out of time or usage

Save this guide, note your last completed checkpoint, and continue in the same project later. Do not start over just because the live session ended. Installation and account limits are good reasons to switch to observation during the presentation.

Help me resume this video-library workshop. First inspect my existing project without replacing anything. Tell me which stage already works: readable files and offline page, or the editable local app with SQLite search. My last completed checkpoint was [DESCRIBE IT]. The problem I see is [PASTE THE ERROR OR DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS]. Fix the smallest relevant issue, preserve my records, and give me one check to confirm the fix.

Presenter run sheet

For the person at the front of the room

The live session lasts at most ninety minutes. Preparation happens beforehand. Use a separate demonstration collection with public videos and sample notes; do not project your personal notes or private records.

A ninety-minute route
TimeActivityShow the proof
0–10Choose a video; explain the goalFind an idea in a finished demo
10–20Folder and project setupCorrect folder confirmed
20–40Build the first shelfOpen page, check summary and timestamp
40–50Add and find another videoSearch and duplicate check
50–60Explain the architectureFiles versus index versus server
60–75Demonstrate the upgradeEarlier entries are preserved
75–85Edit, refresh, reopen, back upNote persists and is searchable
85–90Recap and continuationEveryone knows their next checkpoint

Before attendees arrive

  • Check Wi-Fi and projection, text size, account access, and any installation restrictions.
  • Test the sample video's captions and have a short original or permitted transcript available as a fallback.
  • Keep separate prepared copies of the file stage and the local-app stage so a slow build does not derail the session.
  • Open the guide and test Print / PDF. Share the guide address so people can resume afterward.

If the room needs more time

Protect the first milestone. Spend the time making the file-based library work, then demonstrate the editable version using the prepared copy. Attendees can perform Parts V–VII at home. Skip bookmark import, custom skills, and transcription extensions before you cut the save-and-refresh check.

Pause for questions inside each activity. Ask people what they can observe: “Did the note remain?” is a stronger test than “Did the assistant say it worked?”

Reference

Sources & a few plain-English terms

Reviewed for this edition on October 8, 2026. Product screens and account availability can change; use the official instructions when a label differs.

Transcript
The video's spoken words written down, sometimes automatically.
Tag
A short topic label that helps group or find entries.
HTML
The document format a browser turns into a page.
JSON
Structured text used to store labeled values, such as a title and its URL.
Local server
A program on your computer that handles the browser's requests.
SQLite
A database engine that works with a local database file.
Search index
An organized copy of searchable information, rebuilt from the authoritative records.

This guide follows a tested BrainIT demonstration. Your AI-generated implementation may differ; the exercises teach you how to check its results. The workshop is educational and does not require publishing your personal library.