Getting Started
What is Incipit?
Incipit is a community-powered guide to bookshops, built around the ARC — a 7-point framework from pleasure to purpose. You nominate shops that mattered to you, set your active ∂ lens, and the app surfaces spots that match what you're actually looking for right now.
Why is my reading tracked separately from the shops?
A book doesn't belong to the shop that sold it — you might be devoted to a novel you bought somewhere else entirely. Incipit treats your shelf as its own private thread, separate from the public bookshop map.
Do I need an account?
No. Incipit works anonymously by default. Community nominations use an anonymous identifier — no name, email, or account required.
Is Incipit free?
Yes. Incipit is free to download with no subscription, no in-app purchases, and no ads.
The ARC & Nominations
What does it mean to nominate a bookshop?
Nominating places a shop on the ARC at a specific ∂ level — from ∂1 (pure pleasure) to ∂7 (a place that's part of how you think about your life). It's not a rating. It's a placement.
Why doesn't my nomination appear immediately?
Nominations are reviewed before appearing publicly on the community map, usually within 24 hours.
Can I delete a nomination I submitted?
Because nominations are submitted anonymously and contribute to the aggregate community map, individual removal isn't always possible. Email us at
purposeapps.org@gmail.com and we'll do our best to help.