diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index dbe3cb887..29c6b6de7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -159,3 +159,8 @@ class CreateInviteForm(CustomForm):
                 choices=[(i, "%d uses" % (i,)) for i in [1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100]]
                 + [(None, 'Unlimited')])
         }
+
+class ShelfForm(CustomForm):
+    class Meta:
+        model = models.Shelf
+        fields = ['user', 'name', 'privacy']
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py b/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
index dafc8ff59..59e5f8413 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 ''' puttin' books on shelves '''
+import re
 from django.db import models
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
@@ -23,6 +24,15 @@ class Shelf(OrderedCollectionMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         through_fields=('shelf', 'book')
     )
 
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        ''' set the identifier '''
+        saved = super().save(*args, **kwargs)
+        if not self.identifier:
+            slug = re.sub(r'[^\w]', '', self.name)
+            self.identifier = '%s-%d' % (slug, self.id)
+            return super().save(*args, **kwargs)
+        return saved
+
     @property
     def collection_queryset(self):
         ''' list of books for this shelf, overrides OrderedCollectionMixin  '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf.html b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf.html
index 660d400c9..f6b0972a5 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/shelf.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/shelf.html
@@ -12,32 +12,61 @@
             shelves
         </h1>
     </div>
+</div>
+
+{% include 'snippets/user_header.html' with user=user %}
+
+<div class="block columns">
+    <div class="column">
+        <div class="tabs" aria-role="tablist">
+            <ul>
+            {% for shelf_tab in shelves %}
+            <li class="{% if shelf_tab.identifier == shelf.identifier %}is-active{% endif %}">
+                    <a href="/user/{{ user | username }}/shelf/{{ shelf_tab.identifier }}" role="tab" aria-selected="{% if shelf_tab.identifier == shelf.identifier %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}">{{ shelf_tab.name }}</a>
+                </li>
+            {% endfor %}
+            </ul>
+        </div>
+    </div>
+
     {% if is_self %}
     <div class="column is-narrow">
-        <a href="/create-shelf/">
-            <span class="icon icon-plus">
-                <span class="is-sr-only">Create new shelf</span>
-            </span>
+        <label for="create-shelf-form">
+            <div role="button" tabindex="0">
+                <span class="icon icon-plus">
+                    <span class="is-sr-only">Create new shelf</span>
+                </span>
+            </div>
         </a>
     </div>
     {% endif %}
 </div>
 
-{% include 'snippets/user_header.html' with user=user %}
+<input type="checkbox" id="create-shelf-form" class="toggle-control">
+<div class="toggle-content hidden">
+    <div class="box mb-5">
+        <h2 class="title is-4">Create new shelf</h2>
+        <form name="create-shelf" action="/create-shelf/" method="post">
+            {% csrf_token %}
+            <input type="hidden" name="user" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
+            <div class="field">
+                <label class="label" for="id_name">Name:</label>
+                <input type="text" name="name" maxlength="100" class="input" required="" id="id_name">
+            </div>
 
-<div class="block">
-    <div class="tabs" aria-role="tablist">
-        <ul>
-        {% for shelf_tab in shelves %}
-        <li class="{% if shelf_tab.identifier == shelf.identifier %}is-active{% endif %}">
-                <a href="/user/{{ user | username }}/shelf/{{ shelf_tab.identifier }}" role="tab" aria-selected="{% if shelf_tab.identifier == shelf.identifier %}true{% else %}false{% endif %}">{{ shelf_tab.name }}</a>
-            </li>
-        {% endfor %}
-        </ul>
+            <label class="label">
+                <p>Shelf privacy:</p>
+                {% include 'snippets/privacy_select.html' with no_label=True%}
+            </label>
+            <div class="field is-grouped">
+                <button class="button is-primary" type="submit">Create shelf</button>
+                <label role="button" class="button" for="create-shelf-form" tabindex="0">Cancel<label>
+            </div>
+        </form>
     </div>
 </div>
 
-<div class="columns">
+<div class="block columns">
     <div class="column">
         <h2 class="title is-3">{{ shelf.name }}</h2>
     </div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index 6399c87e2..82726c66c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
 
     re_path(r'^delete-status/?$', actions.delete_status),
 
+    re_path(r'^create-shelf/?$', actions.create_shelf),
     re_path(r'^shelve/?$', actions.shelve),
     re_path(r'^unshelve/?$', actions.unshelve),
     re_path(r'^start-reading/?$', actions.start_reading),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index d938674de..18ec0ce4c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -272,6 +272,17 @@ def upload_cover(request, book_id):
     return redirect('/book/%s' % book.id)
 
 
+@login_required
+def create_shelf(request):
+    ''' user generated shelves '''
+    form = forms.ShelfForm(request.POST)
+    if not form.is_valid():
+        return redirect(request.headers.get('Referer', '/'))
+    shelf = form.save()
+    return redirect('/user/%s/shelves/%s' % \
+            (request.user.localname, shelf.identifier))
+
+
 @login_required
 def shelve(request):
     ''' put a  on a user's shelf '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views.py b/bookwyrm/views.py
index d4f483aaf..0bf86d7f9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views.py
@@ -626,19 +626,22 @@ def shelf_page(request, username, shelf_identifier):
     except models.User.DoesNotExist:
         return HttpResponseNotFound()
 
+    if shelf_identifier:
+        shelf = user.shelf_set.get(identifier=shelf_identifier)
+    else:
+        shelf = user.shelf_set.first()
+
     if is_api_request(request):
-        shelf = models.Shelf.objects.get(user=user, identifier=shelf_identifier)
         return JsonResponse(shelf.to_activity(**request.GET))
 
     data = {
         'title': user.name,
         'user': user,
         'is_self': request.user.id == user.id,
+        'shelves': user.shelf_set.all(),
+        'shelf': shelf,
+        'create_form': forms.ShelfForm(),
+        'edit_form': forms.ShelfForm(shelf),
     }
 
-    data['shelves'] = user.shelf_set.all()
-    if shelf:
-        data['shelf'] = user.shelf_set.get(identifier=shelf)
-    else:
-        data['shelf'] = user.shelf_set.first()
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'shelf.html', data)