LibriVox Forum

Hello! I have a new copyright-free audiobook project that is nearing completion. It was recorded by a volunteer reader group called ABLE, based in Milwaukee. I would love some help from a moderator or someone with more experience about how to put this project up on LibriVox for testing and QA. The eventual goal is to upload the audiobook to the site so it can be downloaded and heard on the app. Thanks!

Moved this from the Launch Pad.

What text is it? First we need to be sure it's PD (which isn't necessarily the same as copyright-free).

It is this title, from the U.S. Army:

https://digitalcommons.usmalibrary.org/books/16/

On page ix, it mentions the public domain.

This publication is subject to Title 17, United States Code, Sections 101 and 105. It is in the public domain
and may not be copyrighted.

Okay, that works.

I've put out a bat signal for someone to guide you through this. Typically we don't have groups coming in with ready-made readers and projects, so it throws us for a bit of a loop when it happens.

Thank you! I appreciate it.

I understood it has already been read? If that is the case we will need every reader to tell us that they are releasing their recording into the public domain for starters as well as a group member prepared to make the files conform to our specifications - a big job.
This is why info @ suggested you uploaded it to Internet Archive and offered to help you do it.

Anne

Thanks! Internet Archive would be a good fit, except they do not seem to have an iPhone app that easily allows audiobooks to be listened to. The Librivox app would be a good fit for potential listeners to this audiobook.

I can make the files confirm to Librivox specs. The narrator (and producer, if need be) can let Librivox know that this audio work is also in the public domain. Let me know the procedures for this tasks when you can. Thank you!

just fyi - the Librivox app is not connected with us in any way although it does contain our books, it also has books that are not copyright-free
available in their professional version. I assume they take all our books but I don't really know.

Anne

Hi Reed, as the app is not connected with us, maybe you could ask the app developer if they would include your audiobook if you hosted it on archive.org so that you wouldn't need to go through the Librivox hoops.

ETA:
If it were published through Librivox, the readers involved would need to become members so that their readings can be credited to their names/pseudonyms, and they should add the Librivox disclaimer on their recordings (specific wording for intro and outro). They should also be available for any edits needed. Between intro and outro, Librivox recordings must include the text, the whole text, and nothing but the text, as is published. The tech specs that the files need to have are
Sample Frequency: 44.1 kHz (44,100 Hz)
File format: MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III)
Bit rate: 128 Kbps constant bit rate
Recording Mode: Mono
Volume: around 89 dB (-16 to -21 LUFS)
Sample size: 16 bit

I can make the files confirm to Librivox specs. The narrator (and producer, if need be) can let Librivox know that this audio work is also in the public domain. Let me know the procedures for this tasks when you can. Thank you!

As a bit of clarification: we need each reader to do the introduction (stating the work is in the public domain) because it also releases their voice recording into the PD.

Someone is free to come along and take a reader's voice recording and do whatever they want with it. In addition to the notice that the book text itself is PD, the disclaimer is an acknowledgement of the reader that they are releasing their vocal recording into the PD.

Thanks very much for all of this helpful information. I was unaware that the Librivox app is separate. How would I go about getting in touch with the app developer to see if they can host this title straight from the Internet Archive?

Otherwise, getting the narrator up on the forum, recording intro/outro, and checking the files shouldn't be a problem.

You could try the email on the Developer Contact info of the app, in the App Store.

(just to mention some useless information: there are librivox-books, which do not get published in the apps directories.
happened to me with a book in the last 4 weeks, where the app seems to have pulished only a third of our new books in the catalogue)

The narrator for this title has joined the Librivox forum and will be happy to record the extra content mentioned above.

Also, the existing bit rate for these files is 192 kbps. Would I need to convert them before uploading? Thanks.

Cool! Yes, the files need to be mp3 of 128 kbps constant bitrate, and in mono (not stereo). 44100 Hz, 16 bit. Here's more detailed info: https://wiki.librivox.org/index.php?title=Tech_Specs