I'd like to share an audio recording of an Usborne book online
While schools are closed due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, Usborne is happy to grant permission to teachers, librarians, authors, booksellers and Independent Usborne Partners, to create and share readings of Usborne books, and display the illustrations as part of the readings, subject to the conditions set out below.
This permission is effective from 24 March 2020 and will now continue until 31 July 2021, after which all recordings should be deleted.
Please note – this permission applies only to free readings and to authors reading their own books. Anyone else who wishes to make available readings of Usborne books, or anyone planning to charge for access to live readings or recordings, should contact Usborne direct via the form on our website to request permission (which may be granted at Usborne’s discretion).
Conditions for permission
- This permission only entitles you to make available readings of books published by Usborne.
- Teachers and librarians may make their readings available via a closed group or educational platform including by sharing an unlisted YouTube link.
- Live events in which an Usborne book is read aloud may be streamed on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook Live, Twitter and Instagram. The link must be deleted immediately after the event, to ensure that it is not automatically archived by the platform. (Links can be deleted by going to your “Live” tab and choosing “Delete Forever”).
- At the beginning of the reading, please state the title of the book, the name of the author and illustrator and that you are reading the book aloud with permission from Usborne.
- For picture books and other books aimed at younger readers, you may read and display the entire book in one recording. For novels and other books with chapters, you can read the entire book if you so wish, but you should limit each reading to a few chapters only.
- All recordings of readings should be deleted no later than 31 July 2021 (unless this permission is subsequently extended by Usborne at its sole discretion).
- Please send an email to us at help@usborne.com with subject line "Audio recording permission" and give us the following information each time you make a live reading available or create a recording of a reading which is accessible by your students or the general public:
a) Title of book and name of author and illustrator
b) Name of the platform on which the reading or recording is made available and/or stored
c) Date that the reading aloud takes place or is recorded
d) Your location (city and country), or if you’re a teacher or librarian, the name and address of your school or library
By creating and posting any readings aloud of Usborne books, you are deemed to have agreed to the terms of the permission as set out above.
Please note that the above applies to Usborne books only. In the USA, Usborne books are distributed by PaperPie, a division of EDC, who also sell books from other publishers. Before requesting permission, please check that the book you're enquiring about is an Usborne book - if it is, you'll see our iconic, rainbow-coloured hot air balloon logo on the cover and on the spine. If it's not an Usborne book, please contact EDC directly via their website to request permission.