"material used for shelves; shelves collectively," 1817, verbal noun from shelve (v.1).
Entries linking to shelving
shelve v.1
1590s, "to overhang," also "to provide with shelves," probably a back-formation from shelves, plural of shelf (n.1). The meaning "put or lay on a shelf" is recorded by 1650s; the figurative or metaphoric sense of "lay aside as not needed, dismiss by neglect" is from 1812. Related: Shelved; shelving.