Conspicuous exhibitionism

After dropping a partnership with Amazon earlier this year, Borders is testing a tangible take on the online book store with the launch of the Magic Shelf.

The Magic Shelf is a three-dimensional wooden shelf of book, CD and DVD covers displayed as they would be in a store. Customers can click on the titles for more info, and over time, the shelf will be personalized based on user interest.

The experience joins an improved e-commerce site set to launch in early '08, according to a news release. E-commerce software provider Allurent helped bring the Magic Shelf to life.

Borders is asking how customers feel about the new features through a dedicated space on Gather.com. Borders helped promote writing competitions on the social site in the past.

The virtual bookshelf concept enjoys active use by other companies already, including Shelfari, LibraryThing and an app on Facebook that enables users to showcase books they've read or are reading.