The NetGalley Shelf app makes it easier than ever for NetGalley members to start reading or listening to books they’ve been approved to access. Here are a few of our favorite features of the app that can help ensure you have the best reading and listening experience possible!
Stream or download audiobooks
The NetGalley Shelf app is the exclusive way to listen to audiobooks made available on NetGalley. You can stream your audiobooks immediately within the app (no need to wait for files to download before playback begins), or you can download for easy listening on the go.
Renew ebooks
Many publishers enable an expiring license for their books on NetGalley. You will see the number of days remaining on your license in an overlay (gray box) on the bottom of the cover image thumbnail. If your license still has time remaining, then you can renew within the app: From Home, Recently read, or My books, just tap and hold the cover image of the book. Choose Renew from the menu that appears. The book’s license will renew up to 55 days.
Filter by archive date
Working to prioritize your TBR pile? This handy filter is about to become your new best friend! In the Your NetGalley Shelf section of the app, tap “see all” (iOS) or the arrow (Android) next to Books or Audiobooks. In the top-right the Filter icon will appear. Once you tap in, you can easily filter by a book’s NetGalley Status including Start Reading, Give Feedback, Feedback Sent, and Archiving in the Next 30 Days.
Create custom collections
Did you know you can create custom Collections in the NetGalley Shelf app to help organize your to-read list? Visit the My Books section of the app and click Filter (for iOS devices) or the top menu (for Android devices). Click on Collections and you’ll be prompted to create a new list. From there, simply long-tap on book covers in the app to add them to your new Collection!
Search and annotate your EPUBs
You can now search within the text of any EPUB you have downloaded within the app, as well as add annotations while you read (which is a great way to prepare for writing your review)!
Don’t forget, every book on NetGalley will display the available File Types (EPUB, PDF) and Reading Options (NetGalley Shelf App, Send to Kindle, Download) that the publisher has currently enabled for the book. Scroll down beneath a book’s description to see before requesting!
Choose how you read
Reading the way you like just got easier! Whether you’re reading a PDF or an EPUB, you can read by scrolling up and down or swiping left-to-right—whichever you prefer.
Test the text-to-speech feature
You’ve been asking for text-to-speech and we heard you! You can now use the Read aloud setting in both Android and iOS for EPUB files within your app. Read more here!
How can I change my new Kindle’s address? I have looked over Netgalley site and cannot find it!
Would it be possible to create a “wish list” for reviewers? Like a cart/basket/shelf that we can put books into that we are interested in. Some way to track so we can come back to request at a later date once we’ve caught up on our latest TBR or organize/prioritize what we would like to request next/consider for the future? Would be super helpful. Right now I take screen shots of the books on the page and put them into a “books I want to read” folder on my desktop, would be nice to have a website feature that does something like that.
I was really excited to have access to the Netgalley shelf as my Apple items are older, and I usually couldn’t access the e-pubs. I am not able, however, to read them on the Shelf – and that might be my older Apple items as well. The book is very unstable. You can’t back=up to check something on a previous page, and the highlights won’t work. I will have to DNF anything I have ask for that is not Kindle.
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble with the app. We’d love to help fix this for you! If you could use this form to tell the team about your difficulties we can take a closer look: https://netgalley.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
How do I make it keep playing the book after my phone screen shuts off? It’s so annoying trying to listen to audiobooks in the Shelf app
Hey Rochelle,
Sorry to hear you’re having an issue with the app! If you haven’t already, I’d recommend reaching out to our Support team so they can take a closer look at the problem and work on solving it for you: https://netgalley.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
Hi Kelly,
One of my DRCs is expiring in 9 days, another in 18. I definitely can’t complete the one with 9 remaining days without the book impacting my mental health, so I really don’t want to have to do that.
I was happy to see your article breaking down the steps, but whenever I click on “renew,” and confirm that my request to renew will be sent to publishers for approval, I get an error message saying “Incorrect renewal period, your publication could not be renewed.” Is there someone I can get in touch with about this issue?
Thank you in advance!
Hey Bensu! Sorry to hear you’re having this problem with attempting to renew books in the app. Please reach out to our support team here (https://netgalley.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new), they will be able to take a closer look at this issue for you!
I love that you now have a text to speech. I wish you had an audiobook option for every book, too.
I would also like to have a wish list or way to tag the books I am interested in reading. Often while scrolling I am not quite ready to request, but would like a place to save the title, so when I am ready, I can remember the books I wanted to read.
Thank you for the above listing of advantages of netgalleyshelf. I am ready to try it again.