Shelfari – Your Virtual Bookcase

Designed with book lovers in mind, Shelfari could easily become a bibliophile’s best friend. After registering for a free account on this nifty social cataloging site, members are prompted to personalize their profile and then build their “shelf” by listing books they have read, books they are reading, and books that they want to read. From there, you can connect with your own friends or reach out and find other members who possess similar reading tastes as you. Some book authors even utilize Shelfari, allowing you to communicate and share feedback directly with the source.

Once you have established yourself in the Shelfari community, you can find and join groups which match your reading preferences, or if you cannot find one that suits your needs, you can start your own. Each group is run by at least one administrator and files its own “group shelf” full of books for perusing. Group members can also post topics on a discussion board or submit questions about the group to its administrators.

Recently, Shelfari added book pages to its system, allowing you to look up relevant information about the book title. You can also see members’ comments and reviews along with any discussions that the book has been featured within. If you are still not sure whether a book is worth your time or not, you can look for other Shelfari members and request their input. Shelfari will match you with members who have already read the book to respond to your inquiry.

In earlier days, finding a new book often meant wandering the library aimlessly looking for titles and book covers that caught your eye. As any avid reader knows, this is an exhilarating experience but it is also a solitary one. Shelfari offers an alternative for when you are seeking a more social and active community. Whether you want to find a new read, submit a review, or simply chat it up with fellow book lovers, Safari provides a unique community of readers unmatched by any other.