Terms of service

1. Operator and eligibility

LDM Co LLC provides Shelfstead to help you organize books and reading activity. These terms apply to our service. Our privacy policy explains personal-information handling; acknowledging that notice is separate from consenting to optional processing.

You must be at least 13 and satisfy higher local requirements. Where necessary, a parent or guardian must give the required permission or enter the agreement on your behalf. Do not create an account if you cannot meet those requirements.

2. Free service and optional book purchases

Shelfstead is free to use and does not require a Shelfstead subscription. Optional links may take you to independent booksellers. We may receive a commission on qualifying purchases and disclose affiliate relationships near the links. Buying a book is not required to use Shelfstead.

Booksellers control prices, stock, editions, shipping, returns, and refunds. Verify the details before purchase. Affiliate links do not transfer responsibility for the seller’s order to Shelfstead or waive rights you have against us or a seller under applicable law.

3. Your account and content

Keep account access secure and submit only information you are authorized to use. You retain your rights in your content and give us only the permission needed to store, synchronize, display, transmit to recipients you choose, and otherwise operate the features you request. This does not authorize selling your private reading history or unrelated uses.

Do not access other accounts, interfere with the service, harass others, or distribute unlawful content. Books, quotes, cover art, and catalog entries may be protected by third-party rights. Shelfstead does not grant permission to reproduce an entire protected book.

4. Catalogs and circles

New book catalog searches use Open Library. Links can also open Google Books and other source pages. Covers, descriptions, and other third-party content may carry separate rights. See our data sources and rights notice for credits and copyright reporting. To report a rights concern, email [email protected] with the content, source link, your contact details, and the basis of your claim. We review reports and remove content when required.

Catalog metadata, series order, publication dates, and recommendations can contain errors. Verify important information with the publisher or seller. Circle members can see the information you choose to share.

Before participating in reading circles, you must accept the circle rules: no harassment, hate, threats, sexual exploitation, spam, or illegal content. Share only content you have the right to share. Use Report reader or Report message to send a concern to Shelfstead, or Block reader to hide shared circles and prevent new invitations between you. Unblocking restores access unless the other reader has also blocked you.

Automated text filtering covers a limited set of prohibited phrases and does not replace human review. Report concerns that the filter misses. We may hide reported messages or suspend circle participation for rule violations. For help or to appeal a restriction, contact [email protected].

You can leave a circle or request account deletion. When an owner deletes their account, owned circles close; deletion does not wait for another member to accept ownership. Independent copies held by other people are outside our control.

5. Pre-release availability and changes

Shelfstead is a pre-release service and is not yet available as a public app-store release. Tester features may differ by platform, region, and version and may contain defects. Keep independent copies of information you need. We take reasonable care but cannot guarantee uninterrupted availability or recovery of every local or exported copy.

We may make changes reasonably necessary for security, legal compliance, or service operation. We provide notice of material changes where reasonably possible and as required by law. Changes do not retroactively remove accrued rights. Where a change requires your agreement, we obtain it. If we retire the account service, we provide reasonable notice and an opportunity to export your data unless urgent legal or security circumstances prevent it.

6. Restrictions and account deletion

We may restrict access for a material breach or genuine security or legal need. When lawful and practicable, we explain why and provide an opportunity to resolve the issue. You may stop using Shelfstead and request deletion at any time through [email protected]. After ownership verification and confirmation, active account data is removed promptly without a recovery window. Our privacy policy and deletion instructions explain separate copies and limited retention exceptions.

7. Consumer protections

Nothing in these terms excludes mandatory consumer guarantees or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including applicable liability for fraud or death or personal injury caused by negligence. Any permitted disclaimer is subject to those rights. A free service does not automatically eliminate statutory protections.

8. Governing law and disputes

Contact [email protected] so we can try to resolve a dispute. This does not prevent urgent relief, regulatory complaints, an eligible small-claims case, or meeting a legal deadline. Pennsylvania law applies only to the extent it does not deprive you of mandatory protections under the law that applies to you. Mandatory rights to bring a claim in your home jurisdiction are preserved.

Where a binding pre-dispute consumer arbitration agreement is lawful and enforceable, you and LDM Co LLC agree to individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, including their consumer protections, cost allocation, and accessible hearing arrangements. Either party may bring an eligible individual claim in small-claims court. You are not required to travel to Pennsylvania where applicable law or those rules provide otherwise.

Arbitration and related jury or class-action waivers apply only as permitted by law. They do not apply to EU or UK consumers, where prohibited, or where a separately required agreement has not been obtained. They do not bar complaints to public authorities or relief that cannot lawfully be waived. If arbitration is unavailable or unenforceable, a claim may be brought in a court with lawful jurisdiction without an exclusive Pennsylvania forum overriding mandatory rights. If AAA declines administration because we have not met our obligations, the consumer may pursue the claim in court.

9. Contact

For ordinary help or terms questions, contact [email protected]. For privacy and deletion requests, contact [email protected].

Customer and privacy correspondence: LDM Co LLC, PO Box 83, Manchester, PA 17345, USA. Registered-agent address for legal process: 502 W 7th ST STE 100, Erie, PA 16502, USA. The registered-agent address is not our customer-mail address.

Privacy policy · Terms of service · Account deletion