CD Covers

This page will get you started on making covers for audio and mp3 CDs. To learn how to make the CDs themselves, visit the How to Listen page. To find blank templates to make your own covers, visit Donating LibriVox CDs and find the template links at the bottom. We also have a Tutorial on making Covers.

Choose a project to make a cover for

If you want to make a cover, please visit this page first. All projects on that page are available, except the ones that are claimed with an orange label. Choose a project and go to this forum thread to make your claim.

Quick guide on how to create CD covers

1. First find some Public Domain pictures.
2. Be creative :)
3. Resize your picture to 300x300 pixels and name it: book_title_yymm.jpg (yymm = date) Drop articles.
4. Resize it again to 150x150 pixel and name it: book_title_yymm_thumb.jpg
5. Convert the file to pdf format and name it book_title_yymm.pdf. For doing that you can use a template. You can find zip-files with templates (Word and Open Office) for normal jewel case, little booklets and Origami paper cases here for OpenOffice and here for Word. They have a suggestion for LibriVox small print. To make the PDF several free utilities are available for Microsoft Windows which might prove useful. An example: PrimoPDF which installs as a printer driver. Printing from any application while this printer is selected will create the required PDF file. Some CD Cover Creation programs print each page separately, in this case when it prints the second page be sure to reselect the PDF and chose the option to append to an existing PDF.
6. Put all your files in one zip. (In Windows: select the files, click right, choose Copy To, choose Compressed Folder.) When you have done more than one cover, all files should go into the same zip.
7. NEW!!! Upload your zip file with the LibriVox Uploader

LibriVox Uploader http://librivox.org/login/uploader

(If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin) You'll need to select the MC, which for CD covers is: covers - covers

When your upload is complete, you will receive a link - please post it in this thread here:Include a link to the book's Librivox catalog page in your post.

If you use only public domain artwork or your own artwork, you can release these designs into the public domain as well and we will upload them to Archive.org. If you choose to use another license for your design, that's okay, but you may need to host them elsewhere. In either case, you can paste a link to your design in the forum thread.

Use the logo

Although it's not compulsary, we ask you to use the LibriVox logo or name on the cover. Covers are sometimes used outside LibriVox and we do like to tell the world where the cover and the audiobook come from.

Vector graphic:

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/logo.wmf

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/logo.svg

Pixel format:

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/logo.gif

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/logo.jpg

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/logo.png

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/logo.tif

CD cover templates

Here are some basic CD cover templates, which can be customized. They can be cut out and folded in half to allow for a basic cover and, when the case is opened, the specific CD contents reveal track information including duration of each track and reader name. These are a basic alternative for those covers not designed yet and for those who may not be able to print out color. Feel free to change them as needed.

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/CDcover_template_groupbw.doc

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/CDcover_template_groupbw.rtf

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/CDcover_template_solobw.doc

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/CDcover_template_solobw.rtf

And some Origami templates:

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/OrigamiCdCase.pdf

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/OrigamiCdCaseFoldLayout.pdf

Templates for Word and Open Office for jewel case, little booklets and Origami paper cases with suggestion for LibriVox small print:

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/CdCoverTemplatesOpenoffice.zip

http://www.archive.org/download/librivox_cd_covers/templates/CdCoverTemplatesWord.zip

CD Covers

Librivox covers can be found on many different pages. The complete list is here:

http://www.archive.org/details.php?identifier=librivoxaudiocovers

To print, download the file and open it in the free Adobe Reader. Open the printer dialog box and make sure "Fit to page" is NOT selected, then print. Standard typing paper is okay to use, but heavier weight or glossy paper will make the covers look sharp. Cut out the design and fold it to fit into the CD case. You may need to do a little extra trimming depending on the make of the CD case.

CD cases

Single CD and double CDs

Single CD cases and double CD cases can be found at some music stores, office supply stores or online retailers (see online resources below). Both single and double CD cases come in two widths, the standard jewel box and the space-saving or “slimline.” For slimline cases, you will only need a front cover. For the standard width cases you will need a front cover and a back cover with flaps which wraps around to the spine.

Four and six CD cases

These larger cases can usually only be found in at online retailers. Some retailers:

• In the USA: Sleeve Town
• In the UK: Windmill Distribution

Typically, the front cover is the same size as the back cover of a standard CD.

Other options

Sleeve Town sells a 10 CD booklet with a printable cover. Templates for the designing front, back, and spine are available at their website.

Plastic CD wallets holding over 10 discs are available at most music stores and office supply stores. These may be customized by directly drawing on them with permanent markers and stencils, or by covering them with printable contact paper.

PD Picture Sources

• From Old Books.org: Scanned Images, Engravings and Pictures From Old Books by Liam Quin. Most of the pictures there are in the public domain in Canada.
• Gutenberg.org: Some HTML-Versions of Gutenberg books include the original images - they are public domain unless not otherwise stated.
• Wikimedia.org: The Wikimedia Commons (or "Commons") is a repository of free images, sound and other multimedia files. The copyright status of each picture is stated individually.
• Zeno.org: Paintings, prints and old book illustrations. All works are pd in Europe. Before using them, check to make sure they were created before 1923(= public domain in the U.S.).
• Gallica: Paintings, prints and old book illustrations. All works are pd in Europe. Before using them, check to make sure they were created before 1923(= public domain in the U.S.).
• Watercolours of Spain: Gutenberg ebook Cathedral Cities of Spain by W. W. Collins
• OldBookIllustrations.com: Pretty much all line illustrations and engravings, a relatively small collection but free to use without restriction. Scans from public-domain books.
• PublicDomainPhotos.com: Modern photos that are free to use in both commercial and personal projects.
• PublicDomainPictures.net: A community of modern artists and photographers that make their images available in the public domain. They accept donations if you wish to give it, but ask no actual fee for the use of the images, and apply no restrictions to use. Some lovely background textures here!
• ReusableArt.com: Especially useful for children's books, this has lots of lovely illustrations of children, animals, landscapes, etc. All are once again scanned by the site owner from public domain books.
• VintagePrintable.com: A massive collection of illustrations, line drawings, engravings, and book covers, scanned from out-of-copyright books. Lots of nice fantasy images here, useful for fairy tales, arabian nights, fables etc. They even have Beatrix Potter images!
• Digital Galery: NYPL Digital Gallery provides free and open access to over 700,000 images digitized from the The New York Public Library's vast collections, including illuminated manuscripts, historical maps, vintage posters, rare prints, photographs and more. Before using them, check to make sure they were created before 1923(= public domain in the U.S.).