How to publish a paper book

Introduction

Please Note: this service is currently not available to users from the USA and Canada. We are doing our best to implement this possibility to all our publishers soon.
Thanks for your patience.

The StreetLib  Print Service offers two options:

  • Print-On-Demand distribution that allows you to sell your book in physical and online bookstores;
  • Printing for personal use, which you can manage in full autonomy according to your needs, by being able to print just a single copy. 

You can decide to use both or just one of the two printing options, the activation procedure doesn't change.

Note on the use of your ISBNs for Print-on-Demand distribution

If you are an  independent author, you can add your paper book to the StreetLib distribution circuit by using the ISBNs assigned for free by the system when activating the service. If you are a publishing house, we recommend you to use your own codes and always contact us once the activation procedure for the first publication is completed.

How to activate the service

The service requires an activation fee of  €49 for each title published. Publishing houses need to pay the activation fee for the first title only.

To activate the service you will need to provide:

  • The paginated PDF of the inside of the book, in the desired format and adapted to our specific requirements;
  • the PDF of the book cover complete with front cover, spine, and back cover, adapted to our specific requirements;
  • metadata (title, synopsis, category, price, etc.).

The publication procedure

Enter your personal area and click on  Add content at the top right. You can access the options listed below: 

If you already have the two paginated PDFs for publication, click  Upload your content and, once inside our HUB, click on Catalogue > Articles. At the top right, you will find Add article; choose the format Book and upload the files and data of your paper book.

How to fill out the Article tab

Once you have selected the format Book, you can choose how to assign the ISBN code and the distribution methods:

  • Online distribution (with the ability to request printed copies for personal use)
  • Print only, without distribution

Click on  Confirm and proceed with the creation of the article tab by filling in the book information that will be sent to the stores.

Metadata

In addition to the Title, Year of publication, Date of publication, etc. do not forget to enter the following information correctly:

  • Author: it is preferable to enter the author's name in the format *Surname, First Name * avoiding the use of symbols, numbers, nicknames, codes, or series of characters that could lead the stores to reject the book;
  • User rights: you will indicate whether or not you are the author of the book you are publishing;
  • Public domain: you will indicate whether the book is free from copyright or not - Read more here;
  • Synopsis: you must provide an accurate and complete description of your book of at least 50 characters that does not repeat what is already in the metadata. Also, make sure to avoid unnecessary information, such as references to discounts or offers;
  • Keywords: you will indicate the keywords related to the content of your book that will bolster its online visibility. We recommend no more than 5 keywords;
  • Category: in this article, you will find some ideas on how to list the categories correctly.

Once you have entered the metadata, click  Create. The article tab will be created and you will be able to edit or add data in the Content, Distribution, and Metadata tab at any time.

Content

In the Content tab, simply choose the print format of the book from the drop-down menu and upload the two PDFs (the inside of the book and the cover) in the appropriate sections.

Please note: the selected print format must match the format of the internal PDF of the inside of the book. If you decide to print in 115x190 mm format, the PDF will need to measure 115x190 mm (or 125x200 mm if the PDF requires border bleeds. For more information read our specifications).

Distribution

In the distribution tab, you can select the stores to distribute your book to and set the price. Based on the book specifications and the price you set, HUB will show the printing costs for a single copy and the percentage of earnings for each distribution channel.

Checking and validating files

Once you have completed the file, you can proceed with the payment of the activation fee. Uploaded files will be processed and you will receive an email notification  within 48 working hours when we have given the go-ahead to finalize the cover design. Once the cover is approved, the activation process is completed and your book will be sent to the stores you've selected - the timing is discussed in this article. If you have chosen not to distribute, you can request copies by following the procedure outlined in this article.

How to request a printed copy before distributing it online

If you prefer to request a printed copy of your book before distributing it online, just follow these steps:

  • Choose the option "I want to distribute this article publicly";
  • in the Metadata tab, select "Not available" from the drop-down menu in the "Availability" field;
  • fill in the article tab and the publication process. Once the book is valid and ready to print, you can request a copy or proof copies by clicking on "Order copies";
  • if the copy meets your expectations, simply select "Available" from the drop-down menu in the "Availability" field and the book will be published!

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