Data sources and rights

Book catalogs

Shelfstead uses factual bibliographic metadata from Open Library, a project of the Internet Archive, for new book searches and imports. Provider links identify individual catalog records. New imports do not copy provider descriptions. Supported app versions display covers on demand using the Open Library Covers API without keeping a persistent downloaded-cover cache. Open the catalog page to read more; unavailable artwork falls back to a title-and-author cover.

Open Library asks contributors to dedicate catalog data under CC0, and its licensing page notes that existing rights can remain. That status does not grant a blanket license to book covers, descriptions, quotations, or book text. Such material may carry separate rights belonging to authors, publishers, or other rights holders.

Shelfstead does not claim ownership of third-party books or artwork or endorsement by catalog providers. Catalog information can contain errors. Provider terms and applicable law govern use of provider content.

Unverified descriptions from older saved records are withheld from display and exports. Synchronization may pause while those records are reviewed. Reader notes and reviews remain available. Updating the app does not erase older local, cloud or exported copies, and a source link does not establish permission to reproduce a description.

Report a rights concern

Email [email protected] with the book or image, its source URL or record identifier, where it appears in Shelfstead, your contact details, and the basis of your rights claim. We review reports and take appropriate action, including removal when required.

Terms of service · Privacy policy