diff --git a/src-native/data.rs b/src-native/data.rs
index b72b6c8..6e81a4e 100644
--- a/src-native/data.rs
+++ b/src-native/data.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::library::{Paths, open_library};
+use crate::library::{Paths, load_library_json, open_library};
 use crate::library_types::Library;
 use crate::tracks::Tag;
 use anyhow::Context;
@@ -123,9 +123,12 @@ impl Data {
 
 		let library_sqlite = open_library(&paths)?;
 
+		let loaded_library_json =
+			load_library_json(&library_dir.join("Library.json"))?.unwrap_or(Library::new());
+
 		let data = Data {
 			paths,
-			library: Library::new(),
+			library: loaded_library_json,
 			db: library_sqlite,
 			current_tag: None,
 		};
diff --git a/src-native/library.rs b/src-native/library.rs
index b87049e..1bed9f3 100644
--- a/src-native/library.rs
+++ b/src-native/library.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,21 @@
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
 use crate::data::Data;
-use crate::library_types::{ItemId, Library, SpecialTrackListName, TrackList};
+use crate::library_types::{ItemId, Library, SpecialTrackListName, TrackList, VersionedLibrary};
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
 use crate::migrate::migrate_to_sqlite;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use linked_hash_map::LinkedHashMap;
-use sqlx::SqliteConnection;
-use sqlx::{ConnectOptions, sqlite::SqliteConnectOptions};
+use serde_json::{Value, json};
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
+use sqlx::{ConnectOptions, SqliteConnection, sqlite::SqliteConnectOptions};
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::{ErrorKind, Read, Seek, SeekFrom};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
 use std::time::Instant;
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
 use std::{fs::create_dir_all, path::Path};
+#[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
 use tokio::runtime::Runtime;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
@@ -46,6 +49,63 @@ impl Paths {
 	}
 }
 
+// todo: delete
+pub fn load_library_json(library_json: &PathBuf) -> Result<Option<Library>> {
+	let mut library_file = match File::open(&library_json) {
+		Ok(file) => file,
+		Err(err) => match err.kind() {
+			ErrorKind::NotFound => return Ok(None),
+			_ => return Err(err).context("Error opening library file"),
+		},
+	};
+
+	let mut json_bytes = Vec::new();
+	library_file
+		.read_to_end(&mut json_bytes)
+		.context("Error reading library file")?;
+
+	let versioned_library: VersionedLibrary = match simd_json::from_slice(&mut json_bytes) {
+		Ok(lib) => lib,
+		Err(_) => {
+			library_file
+				.seek(SeekFrom::Start(0))
+				.context("Error seeking to start of library file")?;
+			let versioned_library = parse_old_versionless_library_json(&mut library_file)?;
+			versioned_library
+		}
+	};
+
+	let library = versioned_library.upgrade().init_libary();
+	Ok(Some(library))
+}
+
+// todo: delete
+fn parse_old_versionless_library_json(library_file: &mut File) -> Result<VersionedLibrary<'_>> {
+	let mut json_str = String::new();
+	library_file
+		.read_to_string(&mut json_str)
+		.context("Error reading library file")?;
+
+	let mut value: Value =
+		serde_json::from_str(&mut json_str).context("Error parsing library file")?;
+	// Migrate version number to string
+	if let Some(obj) = value.as_object_mut() {
+		if let Some(version_field) = obj.get_mut("version") {
+			if let Some(version) = version_field.as_number() {
+				if version.as_u64() == Some(1) {
+					*version_field = json!("1");
+				} else if version.as_u64() == Some(2) {
+					*version_field = json!("2");
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	let versioned_library: VersionedLibrary =
+		serde_json::from_value(value).context("Error parsing library file")?;
+	Ok(versioned_library)
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "napi-rs")]
 pub fn open_library(paths: &Paths) -> Result<SqliteConnection> {
 	let now = Instant::now();