Shelfari

=Shelfari=

[|Shelfari] is a global community for book lovers. According to their website, the mission of Shelfari is "to enhance the experience of reading by connecting readers in meaningful conversations about the published word."

Resources/Links

 * [|Shelfari Blog]
 * Keep up-to-date on any new features or content on the Shelfari website.
 * [|Groups in Education & Schools]
 * Groups on Shelfari related to education and schools.

Classroom Examples

 * [|This is a link] to an online review of Shelfari done by 13-year old Adrienne Blaser. The review is hosted on the ICT in Education website and was published March 2009.
 * [|Edumacation Blog] is an English teacher's personal blog. The link is to his post on using Shelfari in the classroom.

Strengths

 * Free to use.
 * Easy to use.
 * Can be accessed anywhere from any device that has an Internet connection.
 * Allows users to categorize books based on multiple tags.
 * Allows users to keep track of books read including date finished.
 * Allows users to add information and reviews about books read.
 * Has applications on MySpace, Facebook, and a mobile web version.

Weaknesses

 * Recommended for users 13 and up.
 * Must have a valid e-mail address to create a profile.
 * Cannot make entire profile private. Only individual books can be marked as private.

Opportunities

 * Keep a personal reading log.
 * Search for books to read based on a specific tag or tags.
 * Discuss books after reading them with other members of the community.
 * Connect with other members across the globe through groups.

Threats

 * Privacy settings could allow more information to be viewed by public than desired.
 * Children could be exposed to inappropriate content or language.
 * Potential exposure to controversial or banned books.

Ideas for the classroom

 * Students can keep track of outside reading.
 * Parents can keep track of younger students' reading progress throughout the year.
 * Teachers can create (private?) groups for different classes.
 * Students can create recommended reading lists for different subject areas (Civil War fiction, Biographies of Presidents, etc.) by exploring subject related tags.
 * Students can connect with students in other classrooms around the globe.
 * Students can write a book review and publish it on Shelfari (instead of traditional book report).
 * Teachers can use Shelfari to keep a virtual inventory of the books in the classroom library. Under the "Editions" tab for each individual book, there is a box that can be checked that indicates "loaned to a friend," which can be used to keep track of books students have borrowed. - CM