diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms/widgets.py b/bookwyrm/forms/widgets.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee9345aa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms/widgets.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+""" using django model forms """
+from django import forms
+
+
+class ArrayWidget(forms.widgets.TextInput):
+    """Inputs for postgres array fields"""
+
+    # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+    # pylint: disable=no-self-use
+    def value_from_datadict(self, data, files, name):
+        """get all values for this name"""
+        return [i for i in data.getlist(name) if i]
+
+
+class Select(forms.Select):
+    """custom template for select widget"""
+
+    template_name = "widgets/select.html"
+
+
+class SelectDateWidget(forms.SelectDateWidget):
+    """
+    A widget that splits date input into two <select> boxes and a numerical year.
+    """
+
+    template_name = "widgets/addon_multiwidget.html"
+    select_widget = Select
+
+    def get_context(self, name, value, attrs):
+        """sets individual widgets"""
+        context = super().get_context(name, value, attrs)
+        date_context = {}
+        year_name = self.year_field % name
+        date_context["year"] = forms.NumberInput().get_context(
+            name=year_name,
+            value=context["widget"]["value"]["year"],
+            attrs={
+                **context["widget"]["attrs"],
+                "id": f"id_{year_name}",
+                "class": "input",
+            },
+        )
+        month_choices = list(self.months.items())
+        if not self.is_required:
+            month_choices.insert(0, self.month_none_value)
+        month_name = self.month_field % name
+        date_context["month"] = self.select_widget(
+            attrs, choices=month_choices
+        ).get_context(
+            name=month_name,
+            value=context["widget"]["value"]["month"],
+            attrs={**context["widget"]["attrs"], "id": f"id_{month_name}"},
+        )
+        day_choices = [(i, i) for i in range(1, 32)]
+        if not self.is_required:
+            day_choices.insert(0, self.day_none_value)
+        day_name = self.day_field % name
+        date_context["day"] = self.select_widget(
+            attrs,
+            choices=day_choices,
+        ).get_context(
+            name=day_name,
+            value=context["widget"]["value"]["day"],
+            attrs={**context["widget"]["attrs"], "id": f"id_{day_name}"},
+        )
+        subwidgets = []
+        for field in self._parse_date_fmt():
+            subwidgets.append(date_context[field]["widget"])
+        context["widget"]["subwidgets"] = subwidgets
+        return context