Does SourceShelf replace a reference manager?
SourceShelf focuses on capturing, converting, organizing, and packaging source content. It does not currently provide formal citation-style or bibliography management.
Local research archive
Build a research archive you can still use years from now
Capture web research, convert common files, keep the results as portable Markdown, and organize related material into saved packs without handing your archive to a cloud service.
- Portable sources
- Visible provenance
- Local search
- No silent deletion
Product demonstration
Capture, find, curate, and maintain research
What the video covers
Capture useful webpages and convert reports, presentations, spreadsheets, notes, images, and scans into local Markdown.
Search and filter the Library, inspect a source's provenance, and preview its local content.
Arrange related sources into ordered saved packs without moving them into a proprietary archive format.
Edit Markdown with your preferred application and use Refresh & Compare to review changes deliberately.
Capture once, keep what matters
Save a webpage while it is useful. Convert reports, slides, spreadsheets, images, notes, and scanned documents. SourceShelf keeps the resulting source in your Library until you explicitly remove it.
Generated sources retain useful provenance such as the original filename or URL, source type, and capture or conversion date.
Find sources without remembering filenames
Search and filter the Library by text, date, source, type, status, saved-pack membership, and other available fields. Star important sources and inspect the rendered content without opening several applications.
SourceShelf previews only local content and does not fetch remote assets while rendering a source.
Organize by project, not storage location
Create an ordered saved pack for a paper, investigation, client, course, or long-running topic. The same source can support different packs without being duplicated into a proprietary database.
Missing source references remain visible so the user can resolve or remove them deliberately.
Use your preferred writing tools
SourceShelf is not a full Markdown editor. Open a generated source in the Markdown application configured on your Mac, make the changes there, and return to SourceShelf.
Refresh & Compare detects the updated content before you export or refresh AI access.
Keep ownership of the archive
SourceShelf does not silently prune older Library entries or upload them to an online account. Generated Markdown and exported packs remain ordinary files that can be backed up, moved, inspected, and used with other software.
How it works
A clear workflow from source to useful context
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Capture and convert
Collect webpages and common document formats in one local Library.
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Search and inspect
Find a source, check its provenance, and preview its content.
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Curate packs
Group related material into ordered collections for research or AI use.
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Maintain deliberately
Edit sources externally and use Refresh & Compare to understand changes.
Common questions
What to know before you begin
Where are generated sources stored?
They are written to the local output folder selected by the user.
Can I open SourceShelf Markdown in another app?
Yes. Generated sources are normal Markdown files and open in the editor configured on your Mac.
Does SourceShelf automatically delete old research?
No. Library sources remain until the user explicitly removes them.
Keep a research archive that stays portable
Preserve useful sources, their provenance, and the freedom to use them with other tools.
