StreetLib Feature Update - Late Summer 2023

StreetLib is constantly on the move, developing and integrating advanced tools and services designed to provide indie publishers and authors with a seamless, intuitive publishing and distribution experience. As the book publishing industry moves toward digital transformation across multiple formats and workflows, we're here to prepare you for the future!

In this new blog series, we're breaking down the latest enhancements to the StreetLib platform, keeping you informed and ready to leverage these resources.

EPub File Accessibility Check | StreetLib HUB

We've integrated the ACE tool (Accessibility Checker for EPUB) in the English Language HUB. This new function allows you to test the accessibility of your EPUB files within StreetLib HUB before they go to publication.

This is important because the European Accessibility Act will make new rules for ebook accessibility mandatory by June 28, 2025, and European and global e-retailers and reading platforms are rapidly adapting to these standards. To be accessible, an ebook must be adapted to use assistive technology for visually or sensory impaired people. As a bonus, accessible ebooks are ideally structured for text-to-voice and other digital reading applications.

How to Use the ACE Tool

Once you've finished completing metadata entry and file upload for publishing, you can select the new accessibility icon. Our system performs an automatic check, generating an in-depth report of accessibility specifications, metadata, and identifying potential critical issues.

When you click on the new StreetLib accessibility icon, Our system performs an automatic check, generating an in-depth report of accessibility specifications, metadata, and identifying potential critical issues.

Anomalies are visibly marked in yellow or red, showing their severity level. The table of contents supplied will provide technical specifications for each entry, alongside instructions on how to to amend your file appropriately.

Through StreetLib Write, our digital ebook processing tool, you can independently resolve these glitches if you have an Unlimited Subscription. This tool has been recently updated to equip you to either create an accessible ebook from scratch or adjust an existing EPUB file.

Remember: an ebook that satisfies all accessibility requirements isn't validated. The two don't always converge. Successful ebook distribution requires a structurally sound epub format that passes the ePubCheck validation per the IDPF (International Digital Publishing Forum) specifications. StreetLib can automate this ePubCheck validation process for you.

Though the ePubCheck is imperative for successful distribution, the lack of accessibility requirements doesn’t obstruct ebook distribution. It just helps you stay ahead of the new legal requirements.

For more about ePub validation, visit this page.

Ebook Store Feedback | StreetLib HUB

Online bookstores implement extensive content checks for their specific guidelines. When your book isn't available online or in certain stores post-publication, it may have violated some store-specific guidelines. To help with these checks and amplify your control over your titles' distribution, we've integrated the option to generate store reports on StreetLib HUB.

You can now generate store-specific feedback for each title.

How to Use Ebook Store Feedback

For each book, find the "Ebook Store Feedback" icon under Book Info to review and resolve bookstore feedback. Each report offers corrective guidelines; when you've rectified the concern, click on 'I solved it!'

The feedback feature is also visible in the item grid of the Catalog section.

You can also generate an overall feedback report via Report Requests on the main menu.

Managing links to online stores | StreetLib HUB

We've added a section within the HUB record specifically for compiling links to titles available across online stores. You can refresh or generate the links list whenever necessary through the Update Link List button, even alter the URL when needed. You can also generate and download a comprehensive links report to stores via the Report Requests option on the main menu.

Find, edit, and update links to all online stores with the link generator.

New consumption data for subscription applications | StreetLib Dashboard

To empower you with comprehensive distribution insights, we've added a dedicated segment to the Analytics section for subscription-application consumption data to show how much time readers have spent with your books.

Click on the new Estimated Consumption icon view this data. Discover more about using Analytics to view and filter your data here.

Stay tuned to our blog for further feature updates as we continuously strive to simplify and improve your publishing journey with us!