If you are a voice artist who regularly narrates audiobooks, it’s pretty common to move on to the next job without looking back. In general, artists don’t expect commission from audiobook narration work. But you may not be aware that you are entitled to commission on audiobooks – up to £6,600 per year – when those audiobooks are loaned out via libraries.

So whether you’ve read one book, or a hundred, read our guidance below to ensure you aren’t missing out…

What is the British Library’s Public Lending Right Scheme?

The British Library’s Public Lending Right Scheme is the way authors, illustrators, editors, translators and audiobook narrators earn commission on the books they have worked on, that are now being loaned out via libraries.

For every book that is loaned out, the contributors take a commission that is paid out by the British Library’s scheme. As an audiobook narrator you are entitled to up to 20% of the overall commission. In the case of multiple narrators on one audiobook, that 20% is split between all named voice artists.

To receive this commission, you must sign up to the scheme and provide info on the books you have narrated.

Am I Eligible for the Scheme?

To be eligible you must be a named contributor on the audiobook, your main residence must be within the UK, and the audiobook/s you’ve narrated must have an ISBN code.

You will also need to verify your identity via a verification app which will require a form of identification like a passport or driving licence.

For a full breakdown of rules and eligibility (plus additional info for those based in Ireland), the full PLR guidance page is here.

How much can I earn?

Whilst you might associate library audiobooks with the old cassette tapes you once saw on library shelves, there has been a boom in audiobook lending. Library apps like Libby mean that anyone with a library card can access digital audiobooks easily. This boom means that the appetite for audiobook lending is only growing.

The higher threshold of yearly earnings for the scheme is in the thousands, but the majority of narrators will be in the lowest bracket, earning under £100 a year. However, as your career grows and you build a catalogue of work, this may increase.

How Do I Sign Up?

Anyone eligible can go to the PLR website and sign up here: https://plr.bl.uk/

You will need to complete a registration, verify your identity, and provide information on all audiobooks you wish to be registered for.

How do I find a list of books I have narrated and their ISBN numbers?

If you would like to find a list of titles you have narrated, you can simply search your name on most audiobook platforms (Audible, Kobo, Amazon).

Unfortunately finding the correct ISBN for your work may take a little time, but it is well worth doing. Audiobooks have separate ISBNs to the text versions, so you will need the audiobook ISBN.

The ISBN is usually provided on the sale page. However please note that only valid audiobook ISBNs will be accepted. Both Amazon and Kobo provide their own identifying numbers and these are not accepted.

You can also search for ISBNs here: ISBN Search

In some cases a book you have narrated may not have an ISBN as it may only be available via Amazon or Kobo, which don’t require books to have an ISBN. This is a decision made by the publisher. However, audiobooks without ISBNs are not available via libraries and so you will not lose any commission on them.

Is there a deadline?

Artists are paid out once a year for loans taking place within that year. To be eligible for this year, artists need to apply before June.