Getting Started
1. Register & Login
BookJournal.com's registration and login are social media enabled, which means you can create an account and log into the application using your favorite social media account. Just click on the Facebook or LinkedIn logos on the sign-up or sign-in pages. The first time you do, you'll be taken to the platform's login permissions page. You'll have to login to that application's page and grant BookJournal.com authorization to use those credentials to access this account. The cool part is that once you've completed that connection once, you'll always be able to log into BookJournal.com with a single click to that social media icon on the login page.
2. Set up your profile
We encourage all users to complete their profiles. One of the reasons we created BookJournal.com is to help make reading a shared experience. It's just a lot more fun to get to know a little bit about our friends in the online community.
You can access your profile in the dropdown menu on the top toolbar by clicking on your profile pic or name in the upper right corner of the page. The header pictures on each page have some general instructions about the function of the page you're viewing. Click the button under your profile pic to edit and update your profile.
On the profile update page, you'll notice tabs on the left for each of the sections. Start with your basic information under the "Vitals" tab. The only required fields are your first and last name. Some of the other information is never shared, but we might use it to verify your identity if you have a problem with your account later on. If it's marked with a red "not visible" symbol, it's never shared on your profile.
Move to the "Preferences" tab. Here you can describe what you like to read...genres, favorite authors or books, formats, etc. This is great information for friends to make recommendations or even to send gifts...wouldn't that be nice.
Finally, the last tab is used for setting your annual reading goals. We think it's important to strive for a specific number of books each year. Reading is a bit like exercise for the mind and, like exercise, it can be easy to slack off from time to time. Setting a goal and receiving periodic reminders helps to keep us motivated.
If you're the shy type, you can make your profile private by checking the box under your profile pic on the right side of the page (or at the bottom on small screens). Don't forget to save all your changes by clicking the save button.
3. The dashboard
BookJournal.com is an excellent way to analyze your reading habits. The dashboard provides some data visualizations of what you've been reading over time. If you've set a reading goal, the dashboard will track your progress as you progress throughout the year. You'll also see charts showing the quantity of reading you've completed over time. You'll also find out the breakdown of your books by genre.
The dashboard also provides information about what's happening in our reading community. See what you're friends have been up to, what people are reading now, and what books have recently been added. Click the tabs in the headers of each card to explore.
4. Your personal bookshelf
You can access your personal bookshelf by clicking the "myBookshelf" tab on the main toolbar or the "Go to bookshelf" button on the dashboard naviagtion card. To add a book to your bookshelf, click the "Add a book" button on the dashboard or bookshelf pages. A search box will open. You may search by title, author, or ISBN. A list of possible matches will appear on the results page. You can click on any book's cover or title to bring up a description. To add the book to your bookshelf, simply click the "Add to shelf" button.
We never want BookJournal to feel like a chore, so you are only required to provide the most basic information but always have the option to add more. On the "Add a book to my Bookshelf" page, the only field that is required is the "Select a bookshelf" field. Record the other information now or return to your bookshelf to complete it later.
All the books you add will appear in the listing. You can filter the list using the standard filters on the right side of the page or you can use a custom search using the "Custom filter" field at the top right side of the table. You can use the action buttons on the right side of each bookshelf entry to manage the book.
4. Make a journal entry
Once a book is added to your bookshelf, you can then attach a journal entry. Just find the book on myBookshelf and click the "Add journal" button in its row. On the "New Journal Entry" page, you can add as much or as little information as you like. The idea is not to make your book journaling a pain, but to give you the flexibility to keep a record of only what you want to keep from each read. Think of it as a note to your future self.
This is where the majic happens. Once you've attached a journal entry to a book, the "Add journal" button on your bookshelf will change to "View journal." Clicking it will take you to the journal entry page on which you can see your notes. You can edit or add to your journal entries at any time.
5. Explore
We've tried to include features that we think would make BookJournal.com fun and easy to use. So, click around and try things out. If there's a feature you think we missed, please let us know. We'd love to build a community that will make BookJournal.com its own. Of course, if you find a glitch or a clumbsy interface, we need to know that too. You can send us a message using the contact link at the bottom of each page.