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Shelfari Unveils Bookshelf for Bloggers

Shelf widget customization and advanced functionality gives bloggers a new level of personalization for sharing their reading lists.

SEATTLE, Wash. – Oct. 9, 2007 – Shelfari, the Web’s most popular social media site for readers, introduced today a major upgrade to the Shelfari widget that lets bloggers share their bookshelf with friends and site visitors, with an unparalleled level of style, customization and ease. The free Shelfari widget is a JavaScript plug-in that makes it simple for bloggers to update their book lists and widget design without having to make any direct changes to their blog. To learn more about the Shelfari widget and how to add it to a blog, go to http://www.shelfari.com/widget.

“The Shelfari widget represents a new breed of power widget that gives bloggers an entirely new level of functionality and customization without requiring any technical knowledge,” said Josh Hug, Shelfari’s CEO and co-founder. “Personal blogging is about individual expression and for so many people, the books they read say so much about who they are. We designed the Shelfari widget to give bloggers an elegant and powerful way to display their reading lists without compromise.”

The Shelfari widget is designed to be as rich or as minimalist as desired, giving bloggers more options to integrate reading lists on their blog or website.  The Shelfari widget is compatible with the major blog services Blogger and TypePad, and with most blogging software, including Movable Type, Wordpress and Textpattern. In addition, bloggers who have Amazon.com affiliate IDs can make money by simply adding their affiliate ID into the widget. Other new features include:
Rich Graphical Options: Shelves can be rendered in a visually stunning, three-dimensional shelf, sized to fit and available in an assortment of designs, such as solid mahogany, black-stained oak or brushed steel and cherry. Or for those who want a more pared-down display, the Shelfari widget can display books in a simple text list that matches a blog’s text style.
Multiple Widget Management: Bloggers can create an endless assortment of widgets based on user-generated tags (i.e., “favorites” or “currently reading"), enabling them to host multiple shelves or swap out shelves in just a few seconds.
Import Books from Any Site or File: Shelfari makes adding books from any website a one-click process. Users can direct Shelfari to any web address, and Shelfari will scan the page, identify which books are listed, and then let users choose which books to add to their shelf. 
Amazon Wish List Compatibility: Anyone with an Amazon Wish List can now import that list directly into his or her a blog via the Shelfari widget. Simply go to the Widget home page, enter the email address associated with an Amazon.com account, and Shelfari will automatically retrieve all of the books on a user’s Wish List.
Build a Book Widget Without a Shelfari Account: A Shelfari account is not required for bloggers to see for themselves what a Shelfari widget will look like. Bloggers are invited to go to the Shelfari widget home page and click on the “Get Started” button to begin adding books and designing their blog widget.