Choosing and changing your subdomain

Your subdomain is your library's URL — yourchoice.tryshelfwise.com. Pick something patrons will remember and that you won't want to change later.

Rules

• Lowercase letters (a-z), digits (0-9), and hyphens (-)
• Between 3 and 32 characters
• Can't start or end with a hyphen
• Must be unique across all Shelfwise libraries

Reserved names

These names belong to the Shelfwise platform and can't be claimed:

• admin, api, app, apps, auth, billing, blog, cdn
• dashboard, docs, email, help, mail, platform
• shelfwise, staging, status, super-admin, support, system, www

Good subdomain ideas

• Short and memorable: maple, riverside, central
• Specific to your organization: westsidereads, mapleparkbooks
• Avoid generic words alone — "library" and "books" tend to be taken

Renaming a subdomain

You can rename your subdomain from Settings → Appearance any time. When you do:

• The old URL stops working immediately
• Patron bookmarks need updating
• Existing email links to your library may break

We recommend sending an email or bulletin notice before renaming. If you'd like Shelfwise to set up a redirect from your old subdomain for 30 days, email hello@tryshelfwise.com.

Using a custom domain instead

If you'd prefer library.yourchurch.org instead of grace.tryshelfwise.com, see "Connecting a custom domain". You can use both side-by-side.