CD Covers

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This page will get you started on making covers for audio and mp3 CDs, and guide you how to thank a volunteer artist for making a cover for your project. 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.

Choose a project to make a cover for

Don't make a cover for a project that already has one. We cannot show more than one cover.

If you want to make a cover, visit this page first.

All projects on the list are available, except the ones that are claimed. Here you can make your own claim by adding your forum name to the last column.


If you are a BC of a group project or a soloist who wishes to create your own cover for your project, then you can pre-claim the cover before cataloguing is complete.

  1. First, locate your project number. This is the number at the end of the BC Admin link just below the Magic Window.
  2. Post your project number to the Volunteer CD Covers working thread to stake your claim.
  3. Please try to have the cover ready by cataloguing time. You will then only need to add the final running time, which your MC can send you once it has been calculated by the cataloguing software.


For all other covers, we suggest a 2-week deadline for completion as there are other steps (e.g., M4B production) that depend on having a cover. Claims are limited to no more than two at the same time (not counting your preclaims), giving other cover makers a chance to participate. If you feel you cannot make the deadline on a cover, please post a message in the working thread.

Tutorial

In addition to following the guide below, you can also take a look at the step-by-step Tutorial on making Covers.


Quick guide on how to create CD covers

  1. Find some Public Domain images.
  2. Make your cover image! Be creative :)
  3. Save two copies of your cover image that are 300x300 pixels.
    1. name one booktitle_YYMM.jpg (YYMM = YearYearMonthMonth). Drop articles (the, a, etc) from the book title.
    2. name the second booktitle_YYMM_itemimage.jpg
  4. Save another copy that is 150x150 pixels, and name it booktitle_YYMM_thumb.jpg
  5. Create a PDF for the CD cases
    1. To create the PDF, you can use a CD Cover Creation program, or use one of the templates listed below. You may pick any one template, or combine all the templates together in your final PDF.
    2. Recent versions of MS Word and OpenOffice can directly export your document as PDF, without need of any other software. If you are using older (or other) software, there are free utilities which may be 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.
    3. 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.
    4. ATTENTION: Please add the source of any picture(s) you used to the PDF. You'll find suggestions of the wording on the examples in the tutorial.
    5. Once you are finished, name the final PDF booktitle_YYMM.pdf
  6. Put all the files in one ZIP file. (In Windows: select the files, right-click, choose Copy To, choose Compressed Folder.)
  7. If you are doing more than one cover, all files should go into the same ZIP.
  8. Upload your ZIP file with the LibriVox Uploader.
LibriVox Uploader
https://librivox.org/login/uploader

(If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin on the forum.)

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 into the Volunteer CD Covers working thread on the forum. Make sure to 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.


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.

Logo text in vector format

Logo text in raster format

Colored logo in vector format

Colored logo in raster format


CD cover templates

Basic 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.

Origami templates

3-in-1 template

This template includes the front panel for thin cases, back panel for thick cases, and an origami pattern. Detailed folding instructions follow.

ZIP files for Word and OpenOffice

Templates for Word and OpenOffice for jewel case, little booklets, and Origami paper cases with suggested wording for the LibriVox disclaimer:


Published CD Covers

You can see all our thousands of covers at The Librivox Free Audiobook Collectionover at Internet Archive. Sort by Date Published to see most recent covers first. Or, sort by other criteria, such as author's last initial.

To print an individual cover from the LV catalog, click the "Download CD Case Insert" link under any thumbnail and open it in the free Adobe Reader. In the printer dialog box, make sure "Fit to page" is NOT selected, then print. On the simple jewel case pattern, cut out the artwork 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. In the case of the multiple CD case designs, follow cut out/folding instructions for either an origami paper CD case or jewel case front and back covers. HINT: Standard copy paper works fine, but heavier weight or glossy paper will make the covers look sharper.

How To Thank A Cover Artist

BC's and Soloists may publicly thank the artist who designed the cover for their project by hitting Post Reply in LV's Covermaker's Chat Thread, or by Private Message. To find out who made your cover, click the "Download CD Case Insert" link under the Cover showing on the LV Catalog page.


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 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 in 1925 or before (= 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 in 1925 or before (= 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 Gallery: 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 in 1922 or before (= public domain in the U.S.).
  • Pixabay: has photos that are shared with the CC0 license.
  • Flickr Internet Archive Book Images' Photostream Mouse over to see title and publication date of the book from which the images are scanned.
  • Metropolitan Museum: From the Metropolitan Museum in NY. The link brings you direct to the PD images. From that page you can filter on your subject.


Supplies

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:

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.

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