diff --git a/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py b/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py
index 49f2deb81..60d36bd02 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/activitypub/book.py
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ class Work(Book):
 @dataclass(init=False)
 class Author(ActivityObject):
     ''' author of a book '''
-    url: str
     name: str
     born: str
     died: str
diff --git a/bookwyrm/broadcast.py b/bookwyrm/broadcast.py
index 9b071b393..a1eebaee3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/broadcast.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/broadcast.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def broadcast_task(sender_id, activity, recipients):
     return errors
 
 
-def sign_and_send(sender, activity, destination):
+def sign_and_send(sender, data, destination):
     ''' crpyto whatever and http junk '''
     now = http_date()
 
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ def sign_and_send(sender, activity, destination):
         # this shouldn't happen. it would be bad if it happened.
         raise ValueError('No private key found for sender')
 
-    data = json.dumps(activity).encode('utf-8')
     digest = make_digest(data)
 
     response = requests.post(
diff --git a/bookwyrm/incoming.py b/bookwyrm/incoming.py
index 5f4cc15b1..c6a22caa1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/incoming.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/incoming.py
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ def shared_inbox(request):
         'Announce': handle_boost,
         'Add': {
             'Tag': handle_tag,
+            'Edition': handle_shelve,
+            'Work': handle_shelve,
         },
         'Undo': {
             'Follow': handle_unfollow,
@@ -318,6 +320,22 @@ def handle_tag(activity):
         status_builder.create_tag(user, book, activity['object']['name'])
 
 
+@app.task
+def handle_shelve(activity):
+    ''' putting a book on a shelf '''
+    user = get_or_create_remote_user(activity['actor'])
+    book = books_manager.get_or_create_book(activity['object'])
+    try:
+        shelf = models.Shelf.objects.get(remote_id=activity['target'])
+    except models.Shelf.DoesNotExist:
+        return
+    if shelf.user != user:
+        # this doesn't add up.
+        return
+    shelf.books.add(book)
+    shelf.save()
+
+
 @app.task
 def handle_update_user(activity):
     ''' receive an updated user Person activity object '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
index 8150d650c..2215a28a9 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/base_model.py
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ class ActivitypubMixin:
             if not hasattr(self, mapping.model_key) or not mapping.activity_key:
                 continue
             value = getattr(self, mapping.model_key)
-            if hasattr(value, 'remote_id'):
+            print(value)
+            if hasattr(value, 'local_id'):
+                value = value.local_id
+            elif hasattr(value, 'remote_id'):
                 value = value.remote_id
             if isinstance(value, datetime):
                 value = value.isoformat()
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index b6261b8b7..93d9393de 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class Book(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     @property
     def ap_authors(self):
         ''' the activitypub serialization should be a list of author ids '''
-        return [a.remote_id for a in self.authors.all()]
+        return [a.local_id for a in self.authors.all()]
 
     @property
     def ap_cover(self):
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class Book(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         return self.parent_work.local_id
 
     activity_mappings = [
-        ActivityMapping('id', 'remote_id'),
+        ActivityMapping('id', 'local_id'),
 
         ActivityMapping('authors', 'ap_authors'),
         ActivityMapping('first_published_date', 'first_published_date'),
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class Author(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         an instance, so it needs a local url for federation. but it still needs
         the remote_id for easier deduplication and, if appropriate, to sync with
         the remote canonical copy (ditto here for author)'''
-        return 'https://%s/book/%d' % (DOMAIN, self.id)
+        return 'https://%s/author/%d' % (DOMAIN, self.id)
 
     @property
     def display_name(self):
@@ -271,8 +271,7 @@ class Author(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
         return self.last_name or self.first_name
 
     activity_mappings = [
-        ActivityMapping('id', 'remote_id'),
-        ActivityMapping('url', 'remote_id'),
+        ActivityMapping('id', 'local_id'),
         ActivityMapping('name', 'display_name'),
         ActivityMapping('born', 'born'),
         ActivityMapping('died', 'died'),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py b/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
index 53e557eea..24f1fdced 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/shelf.py
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ class ShelfBook(BookWyrmModel):
         return activitypub.Add(
             id='%s#add' % self.remote_id,
             actor=user.remote_id,
-            object=self.book.to_activity(),
-            target=self.shelf.to_activity()
+            object=self.book.local_id,
+            target=self.shelf.remote_id,
         ).serialize()
 
     def to_remove_activity(self, user):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/signatures.py b/bookwyrm/signatures.py
index 7e3c637ff..57c181dfb 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/signatures.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/signatures.py
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ def make_signature(sender, destination, date, digest):
 
 def make_digest(data):
     ''' creates a message digest for signing '''
-    return 'SHA-256=' + b64encode(hashlib.sha256(data).digest()).decode('utf-8')
+    return 'SHA-256=' + b64encode(hashlib.sha256(data.encode('utf-8'))\
+                        .digest()).decode('utf-8')
 
 
 def verify_digest(request):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html b/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html
index dfe483279..e4b7ce5e3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/layout.html
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 <!DOCTYPE html>
 <html lang="en">
 <head>
-    <title>BookWyrm</title>
+    <title>{% if title %}{{ title }} | {% endif %}BookWyrm</title>
     <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
     <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="/static/css/bulma.min.css">
     <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="/static/css/format.css">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views.py b/bookwyrm/views.py
index a4d997be4..fc066f59e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views.py
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ def is_api_request(request):
 
 def server_error_page(request):
     ''' 500 errors '''
-    return TemplateResponse(request, 'error.html')
+    return TemplateResponse(request, 'error.html', {'title': 'Oops!'})
 
 
 def not_found_page(request, _):
     ''' 404s '''
-    return TemplateResponse(request, 'notfound.html')
+    return TemplateResponse(request, 'notfound.html', {'title': 'Not found'})
 
 
 @login_required
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ def home_tab(request, tab):
     next_page = '/?page=%d#feed' % (page + 1)
     prev_page = '/?page=%d#feed' % (page - 1)
     data = {
+        'title': 'Updates Feed',
         'user': request.user,
         'suggested_books': set(suggested_books),
         'activities': activities,
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ def search(request):
 
     book_results = books_manager.search(query)
     data = {
+        'title': 'Search Results',
         'book_results': book_results,
         'user_results': user_results,
         'query': query,
@@ -192,6 +194,7 @@ def search(request):
 def import_page(request):
     ''' import history from goodreads '''
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'import.html', {
+        'title': 'Import Books',
         'import_form': forms.ImportForm(),
         'jobs': models.ImportJob.
                 objects.filter(user=request.user).order_by('-created_date'),
@@ -207,6 +210,7 @@ def import_status(request, job_id):
         raise PermissionDenied
     task = app.AsyncResult(job.task_id)
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'import_status.html', {
+        'title': 'Import Status',
         'job': job,
         'items': job.items.order_by('index').all(),
         'task': task
@@ -219,6 +223,7 @@ def login_page(request):
         return redirect('/')
     # send user to the login page
     data = {
+        'title': 'Login',
         'site_settings': models.SiteSettings.get(),
         'login_form': forms.LoginForm(),
         'register_form': forms.RegisterForm(),
@@ -229,6 +234,7 @@ def login_page(request):
 def about_page(request):
     ''' more information about the instance '''
     data = {
+        'title': 'About',
         'site_settings': models.SiteSettings.get(),
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'about.html', data)
@@ -236,7 +242,7 @@ def about_page(request):
 
 def password_reset_request(request):
     ''' invite management page '''
-    return TemplateResponse(request, 'password_reset_request.html')
+    return TemplateResponse(request, 'password_reset_request.html', {'title': 'Reset Password'})
 
 
 def password_reset(request, code):
@@ -253,7 +259,7 @@ def password_reset(request, code):
     return TemplateResponse(
         request,
         'password_reset.html',
-        {'code': reset_code.code}
+        {'title': 'Reset Password', 'code': reset_code.code}
     )
 
 
@@ -269,6 +275,7 @@ def invite_page(request, code):
         raise PermissionDenied
 
     data = {
+        'title': 'Join',
         'site_settings': models.SiteSettings.get(),
         'register_form': forms.RegisterForm(),
         'invite': invite,
@@ -280,6 +287,7 @@ def invite_page(request, code):
 def manage_invites(request):
     ''' invite management page '''
     data = {
+        'title': 'Invitations',
         'invites': models.SiteInvite.objects.filter(user=request.user),
         'form': forms.CreateInviteForm(),
     }
@@ -293,6 +301,7 @@ def notifications_page(request):
             .order_by('-created_date')
     unread = [n.id for n in notifications.filter(read=False)]
     data = {
+        'title': 'Notifications',
         'notifications': notifications,
         'unread': unread,
     }
@@ -313,6 +322,7 @@ def user_page(request, username, subpage=None, shelf=None):
     # otherwise we're at a UI view
 
     data = {
+        'title': user.name,
         'user': user,
         'is_self': request.user.id == user.id,
     }
@@ -416,6 +426,7 @@ def status_page(request, username, status_id):
         return JsonResponse(status.to_activity(), encoder=ActivityEncoder)
 
     data = {
+        'title': status.type,
         'status': status,
     }
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'status.html', data)
@@ -460,6 +471,7 @@ def edit_profile_page(request):
 
     form = forms.EditUserForm(instance=request.user)
     data = {
+        'title': 'Edit profile',
         'form': form,
         'user': user,
     }
@@ -506,6 +518,7 @@ def book_page(request, book_id):
     ).distinct().all()
 
     data = {
+        'title': book.title,
         'book': book,
         'reviews': reviews.filter(content__isnull=False),
         'ratings': reviews.filter(content__isnull=True),
@@ -539,6 +552,7 @@ def edit_book_page(request, book_id):
     if not book.description:
         book.description = book.parent_work.description
     data = {
+        'title': 'Edit Book',
         'book': book,
         'form': forms.EditionForm(instance=book)
     }
@@ -550,6 +564,7 @@ def editions_page(request, work_id):
     work = models.Work.objects.get(id=work_id)
     editions = models.Edition.objects.filter(parent_work=work).all()
     data = {
+        'title': 'Editions of %s' % work.title,
         'editions': editions,
         'work': work,
     }
@@ -568,6 +583,7 @@ def author_page(request, author_id):
 
     books = models.Work.objects.filter(authors=author)
     data = {
+        'title': author.name,
         'author': author,
         'books': [b.default_edition for b in books],
     }
@@ -586,6 +602,7 @@ def tag_page(request, tag_id):
 
     books = models.Edition.objects.filter(tag__identifier=tag_id).distinct()
     data = {
+        'title': tag_obj.name,
         'books': books,
         'tag': tag_obj,
     }