ShelfScout requires a Google account. Tap "Sign in with Google" on the welcome screen to create your account. Your book library is stored in the cloud and accessible from any device you sign into.
There are three ways to add books to your library:
Manual search — tap the + button in your library and search by title or author. ShelfScout will pull matching book data from Google Books, including cover art and metadata, which you can confirm before adding.
Goodreads import — export your Goodreads library as a CSV (from Goodreads: My Books → Import/Export → Export Library) and import the file in ShelfScout. Your shelves (read, currently reading, want-to-read) will be mapped automatically.
Shelf scan — point your camera at a bookshelf and the App will identify book spines and suggest books to import. Review the results before confirming — AI recognition may miss books with worn spines or unusual cover designs.
For best results when scanning a bookshelf: hold your device steady in landscape orientation, ensure the shelf is well-lit, and capture one shelf at a time. The feature works best when book spines are clearly legible. You can scan multiple photos and the App will merge results.
Shelf scanning is rate-limited to keep the service available for all users.
Your library can be filtered by shelf (Read, Currently Reading, Want to Read) and searched by title or author. Tap any book to edit its details, change its shelf, or remove it from your library.
Yes, via CSV export. ShelfScout does not connect to Goodreads directly (their API is closed), but the CSV export contains your full library and maps cleanly into ShelfScout shelves.
Yes. Your library is stored in the cloud and syncs automatically when you sign in on any device with the same Google account.
This feature is in development. When available, it will allow you to push books from your ShelfScout library to your Google Books shelves.
Email support@tealnebula.com with the subject "Delete my ShelfScout account" from the email address associated with your account. We will delete all your data within 30 days.
AI recognition works best on clean, clearly printed book spines. Books with handwritten titles, worn covers, unusual fonts, or non-English text may not be recognized. You can always add unrecognized books manually using the search feature.
Email us at support@tealnebula.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.