diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
index 1dfc406cb..20a175264 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
@@ -256,9 +256,7 @@ def get_data(url, params=None, timeout=10):
             params=params,
             headers={  # pylint: disable=line-too-long
                 "Accept": (
-                    "application/activity+json,"
-                    ' application/ld+json; profile="https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",'
-                    " application/json; charset=utf-8"
+                    'application/json, application/activity+json, application/ld+json; profile="https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams"; charset=utf-8'
                 ),
                 "User-Agent": settings.USER_AGENT,
             },
@@ -266,7 +264,7 @@ def get_data(url, params=None, timeout=10):
         )
     except RequestException as err:
         logger.exception(err)
-        raise ConnectorException()
+        raise ConnectorException(err)
 
     if not resp.ok:
         raise ConnectorException()
@@ -274,7 +272,7 @@ def get_data(url, params=None, timeout=10):
         data = resp.json()
     except ValueError as err:
         logger.exception(err)
-        raise ConnectorException()
+        raise ConnectorException(err)
 
     return data
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/importers/__init__.py
index d4890070b..dd3d62e8b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/importers/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/__init__.py
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@
 from .importer import Importer
 from .goodreads_import import GoodreadsImporter
 from .librarything_import import LibrarythingImporter
+from .openlibrary_import import OpenLibraryImporter
 from .storygraph_import import StorygraphImporter
diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py b/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
index 94e6734e7..32800e772 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class Importer:
         ("authors", ["author", "authors", "primary author"]),
         ("isbn_10", ["isbn10", "isbn"]),
         ("isbn_13", ["isbn13", "isbn", "isbns"]),
-        ("shelf", ["shelf", "exclusive shelf", "read status"]),
+        ("shelf", ["shelf", "exclusive shelf", "read status", "bookshelf"]),
         ("review_name", ["review name"]),
         ("review_body", ["my review", "review"]),
         ("rating", ["my rating", "rating", "star rating"]),
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ class Importer:
     ]
     date_fields = ["date_added", "date_started", "date_finished"]
     shelf_mapping_guesses = {
-        "to-read": ["to-read"],
-        "read": ["read"],
-        "reading": ["currently-reading", "reading"],
+        "to-read": ["to-read", "want to read"],
+        "read": ["read", "already read"],
+        "reading": ["currently-reading", "reading", "currently reading"],
     }
 
     def create_job(self, user, csv_file, include_reviews, privacy):
@@ -90,7 +90,10 @@ class Importer:
 
     def get_shelf(self, normalized_row):
         """determine which shelf to use"""
-        shelf_name = normalized_row["shelf"]
+        shelf_name = normalized_row.get("shelf")
+        if not shelf_name:
+            return None
+        shelf_name = shelf_name.lower()
         shelf = [
             s for (s, gs) in self.shelf_mapping_guesses.items() if shelf_name in gs
         ]
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ class Importer:
             user=user,
             include_reviews=original_job.include_reviews,
             privacy=original_job.privacy,
+            source=original_job.source,
             # TODO: allow users to adjust mappings
             mappings=original_job.mappings,
             retry=True,
diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/openlibrary_import.py b/bookwyrm/importers/openlibrary_import.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef1030609
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/openlibrary_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+""" handle reading a csv from openlibrary"""
+from . import Importer
+
+
+class OpenLibraryImporter(Importer):
+    """csv downloads from OpenLibrary"""
+
+    service = "OpenLibrary"
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.row_mappings_guesses.append(("openlibrary_key", ["edition id"]))
+        self.row_mappings_guesses.append(("openlibrary_work_key", ["work id"]))
+        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/storygraph_import.py b/bookwyrm/importers/storygraph_import.py
index 9368115d4..67cbaa663 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/importers/storygraph_import.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/storygraph_import.py
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@ from . import Importer
 
 
 class StorygraphImporter(Importer):
-    """csv downloads from librarything"""
+    """csv downloads from Storygraph"""
 
     service = "Storygraph"
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
index c46795856..919bbf0db 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def construct_search_term(title, author):
     # Strip brackets (usually series title from search term)
     title = re.sub(r"\s*\([^)]*\)\s*", "", title)
     # Open library doesn't like including author initials in search term.
-    author = re.sub(r"(\w\.)+\s*", "", author)
+    author = re.sub(r"(\w\.)+\s*", "", author) if author else ""
 
     return " ".join([title, author])
 
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
             return
 
         if self.isbn:
-            self.book = self.get_book_from_isbn()
+            self.book = self.get_book_from_identifier()
+        elif self.openlibrary_key:
+            self.book = self.get_book_from_identifier(field="openlibrary_key")
         else:
             # don't fall back on title/author search if isbn is present.
             # you're too likely to mismatch
@@ -98,10 +100,10 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
             else:
                 self.book_guess = book
 
-    def get_book_from_isbn(self):
-        """search by isbn"""
+    def get_book_from_identifier(self, field="isbn"):
+        """search by isbn or other unique identifier"""
         search_result = connector_manager.first_search_result(
-            self.isbn, min_confidence=0.999
+            getattr(self, field), min_confidence=0.999
         )
         if search_result:
             # it's already in the right format
@@ -114,6 +116,8 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
 
     def get_book_from_title_author(self):
         """search by title and author"""
+        if not self.title:
+            return None, 0
         search_term = construct_search_term(self.title, self.author)
         search_result = connector_manager.first_search_result(
             search_term, min_confidence=0.1
@@ -145,6 +149,13 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
             self.normalized_data.get("isbn_10")
         )
 
+    @property
+    def openlibrary_key(self):
+        """the edition identifier is preferable to the work key"""
+        return self.normalized_data.get("openlibrary_key") or self.normalized_data.get(
+            "openlibrary_work_key"
+        )
+
     @property
     def shelf(self):
         """the goodreads shelf field"""
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html
index 314a6861f..fdeb0e55b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import.html
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
                     <option value="LibraryThing" {% if current == 'LibraryThing' %}selected{% endif %}>
                         LibraryThing (TSV)
                     </option>
+                    <option value="OpenLibrary" {% if current == 'OpenLibrary' %}selected{% endif %}>
+                        OpenLibrary (CSV)
+                    </option>
                 </select>
             </div>
             <div class="field">
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html
index 9b4379693..b3d209873 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/import/import_status.html
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@
                 <th>
                     {% trans "ISBN" %}
                 </th>
+                {% if job.source == "OpenLibrary" %}
+                <th>
+                    {% trans "Openlibrary key" %}
+                </th>
+                {% endif %}
                 <th>
                     {% trans "Author" %}
                 </th>
@@ -145,6 +150,11 @@
                 <td>
                     {{ item.isbn|default:'' }}
                 </td>
+                {% if job.source == "OpenLibrary" %}
+                <td>
+                    {{ item.openlibrary_key }}
+                </td>
+                {% endif %}
                 <td>
                     {{ item.normalized_data.authors }}
                 </td>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/data/openlibrary.csv b/bookwyrm/tests/data/openlibrary.csv
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..827b78d6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/data/openlibrary.csv
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Work Id,Edition Id,Bookshelf
+OL102749W,,Currently Reading
+OL361393W,OL7798182M,Currently Reading
+OL1652392W,OL7194114M,Want to Read
+OL17062644W,OL25726365M,Already Read
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py
index 5c3b20310..4599568bf 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class GenericImporter(TestCase):
 
         import_item = models.ImportItem.objects.get(job=import_job, index=0)
         with patch(
-            "bookwyrm.models.import_job.ImportItem.get_book_from_isbn"
+            "bookwyrm.models.import_job.ImportItem.get_book_from_identifier"
         ) as resolve:
             resolve.return_value = self.book
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ class GenericImporter(TestCase):
                 ).exists()
             )
 
-        item = items[3]
+        item = items.last()
         item.fail_reason = "hello"
         item.save()
         item.update_job()
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_openlibrary_import.py b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_openlibrary_import.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d53f55967
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_openlibrary_import.py
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+""" testing import """
+import pathlib
+from unittest.mock import patch
+import datetime
+import pytz
+
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm.importers import OpenLibraryImporter
+from bookwyrm.importers.importer import handle_imported_book
+
+
+def make_date(*args):
+    """helper function to easily generate a date obj"""
+    return datetime.datetime(*args, tzinfo=pytz.UTC)
+
+
+# pylint: disable=consider-using-with
+@patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.rerank_suggestions_task.delay")
+@patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.populate_stream_task.delay")
+@patch("bookwyrm.activitystreams.add_book_statuses_task.delay")
+class OpenLibraryImport(TestCase):
+    """importing from openlibrary csv"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """use a test csv"""
+        self.importer = OpenLibraryImporter()
+        datafile = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.joinpath("../data/openlibrary.csv")
+        self.csv = open(datafile, "r", encoding=self.importer.encoding)
+        with patch("bookwyrm.suggested_users.rerank_suggestions_task.delay"), patch(
+            "bookwyrm.activitystreams.populate_stream_task.delay"
+        ):
+            self.local_user = models.User.objects.create_user(
+                "mouse", "mouse@mouse.mouse", "password", local=True
+            )
+
+        work = models.Work.objects.create(title="Test Work")
+        self.book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Example Edition",
+            remote_id="https://example.com/book/1",
+            parent_work=work,
+        )
+
+    def test_create_job(self, *_):
+        """creates the import job entry and checks csv"""
+        import_job = self.importer.create_job(
+            self.local_user, self.csv, False, "public"
+        )
+
+        import_items = models.ImportItem.objects.filter(job=import_job).all()
+        self.assertEqual(len(import_items), 4)
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].index, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].data["Work Id"], "OL102749W")
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[1].data["Work Id"], "OL361393W")
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[1].data["Edition Id"], "OL7798182M")
+
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["shelf"], "reading")
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["openlibrary_key"], "")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            import_items[0].normalized_data["openlibrary_work_key"], "OL102749W"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            import_items[1].normalized_data["openlibrary_key"], "OL7798182M"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[2].normalized_data["shelf"], "to-read")
+        self.assertEqual(import_items[3].normalized_data["shelf"], "read")
+
+    def test_handle_imported_book(self, *_):
+        """openlibrary import added a book, this adds related connections"""
+        shelf = self.local_user.shelf_set.filter(identifier="reading").first()
+        self.assertIsNone(shelf.books.first())
+
+        import_job = self.importer.create_job(
+            self.local_user, self.csv, False, "public"
+        )
+        import_item = import_job.items.first()
+        import_item.book = self.book
+        import_item.save()
+
+        with patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.apply_async"):
+            handle_imported_book(import_item)
+
+        shelf.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(shelf.books.first(), self.book)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_import_model.py b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_import_model.py
index f48143d0d..e67a03459 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_import_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_import_model.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class ImportJob(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(item.reads, expected)
 
     @responses.activate
-    def test_get_book_from_isbn(self):
+    def test_get_book_from_identifier(self):
         """search and load books by isbn (9780356506999)"""
         item = models.ImportItem.objects.create(
             index=1,
@@ -197,6 +197,6 @@ class ImportJob(TestCase):
                 with patch(
                     "bookwyrm.connectors.openlibrary.Connector." "get_authors_from_data"
                 ):
-                    book = item.get_book_from_isbn()
+                    book = item.get_book_from_identifier()
 
         self.assertEqual(book.title, "Sabriel")
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
index 80386b3de..6e50a14cc 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/imports/import_data.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from bookwyrm.importers import (
     LibrarythingImporter,
     GoodreadsImporter,
     StorygraphImporter,
+    OpenLibraryImporter,
 )
 
 # pylint: disable= no-self-use
@@ -49,6 +50,8 @@ class Import(View):
             importer = LibrarythingImporter()
         elif source == "Storygraph":
             importer = StorygraphImporter()
+        elif source == "OpenLibrary":
+            importer = OpenLibraryImporter()
         else:
             # Default : Goodreads
             importer = GoodreadsImporter()