A label that says “free audiobook” does not always mean that a recording is safe to reuse or republish. A website may offer temporary free access, a publisher may give away one edition, or an old book may be paired with a new recording that still has protection. Before BookAud adds an audiobook, we check the written work, the edition or translation, the recording, the cover, and the direct audio files separately.
1. Start with the written work
Copyright usually begins with the author’s work. In Sweden, the Swedish Intellectual Property Office explains that copyright normally lasts for the author’s life plus 70 years. This makes the author’s death year important, but it is not the only fact to check. An introduction, illustration, annotation, or adaptation can be much newer than the original novel.
For that reason, BookAud records the title, author, original publication date, and the country in which the site operates. A nineteenth-century English novel can be a clear candidate. A twentieth-century work, an anonymous text, or a work with several contributors needs more research. A catalog entry alone is evidence to investigate, not a universal legal decision.
2. Check the exact language and translation
A translation is a separate creative work. The original French text of a Jules Verne novel and a later English translation can have different copyright histories. LibriVox warns users to check the translation itself, not only the original author. A reliable record should therefore name the translator and edition when they are known. If that information is missing, the item should remain a draft until the edition is identified.
3. Verify the recording
An old text does not automatically make every modern performance free to reuse. The narrator and recording have their own rights history. LibriVox states that its volunteers donate their recordings to the public domain. BookAud therefore links only to an official LibriVox catalog record and its associated Internet Archive item. We do not treat an unidentified audio upload, a commercial sample, or a copied podcast as equivalent evidence.
The recording page should identify the reader, language, running time, and chapter list. A solo recording and a group recording are both valid, but the page must describe them accurately. If the narrator is unknown, the duration conflicts with the file list, or the Archive item does not link back to the official project, publication should stop for review.
4. Inspect every audio file
A working catalog page is not enough. Each direct MP3 address should return audio data rather than an HTML error page. We check the response type and the beginning of every required file, then compare the filenames and sequence with the official chapter table. This catches missing chapters, duplicate tracks, incorrect numbering, and links that redirect to a download page instead of an audio file.
5. Treat the cover as a separate asset
A public-domain novel can still be sold with a newly designed cover. BookAud uses cover art only when the source provides clear reuse information. LibriVox says that catalog cover art contributed with its recordings is placed in the public domain. We keep the source identifier and a descriptive image caption so the visual asset can be audited later.
6. Keep evidence on the public page
A finished BookAud page names the author, narrator, language, duration, genre, source, and literary country or tradition. It links the player to direct files hosted by Internet Archive instead of copying the whole audiobook to the BookAud server. The page also includes original editorial text and a source-and-rights section. These details help listeners understand where the recording came from and make corrections possible.
A practical publication rule
If one part of the chain is unclear, the item stays unpublished. “Probably public domain” is not a substitute for identifying the work, edition, recording, and cover. This process takes longer than copying a link, but it protects listeners, contributors, and the long-term credibility of a free audiobook library.