Introduction to ID3 Tags in Audiobooks
ID3 tags are fields that you can fill out to add metadata to an audiobook. They were designed with music in mind, so some of the field names (Artist, Composer, etc.) don’t always correspond. This…
This resource reviews key steps to create audiobook that are as accessible as possible, and discuss the key aspects of what makes an audiobook accessible.
Subject(s):
Audiobook Production
Resource Type(s):
Standards and Best Practices
Audience:
Introduction
Before reading this, you might want to read:
While it might seem like it would take a lot of extra work to create a fully accessible audiobook, in practice it is much like creating any good quality audiobook. Being mindful of accessibility throughout the entire process, from pre-production to publication, will help ensure you create born accessible content that everyone can enjoy!
A big component of an accessible audiobook is how it interacts with the device used to play it. There are more complex, taggable formats such as DAISY, and they are great for more complicated texts such as academic works with a lot of supplementary materials. While DAISY is great and has some fantastic accessibility features, it also requires a DAISY supported device or application.
That is why this guide will focus primarily on the MP3 format, as it is one of the more common and commercially viable formats which can be played across a variety of reading systems. The goal of this guide is to try to create more born accessible content that can be enjoyed by every type of person and device.
One of the first things you need to do in any audiobook project is to get a copy of the source material and make yourself familiar with it. If possible, try to use a fully accessible version of the title, such as a properly marked up EPUB. This will ensure that anyone, including a potential narrator, will be able to work on the project if they use screen readers or other assistive technology.
The run sheet is a basic document that outlines to the narrator how you would like them to label the recorded files. It can also provide information such as basic scripts for audiobook tracks that are not found in the source material, like opening and ending credits. If a title requires image descriptions, they can also be included in the run sheet, along with instructions for the narrator.
Much like the book you are working with, it is important to ensure the run sheet document is fully accessible. If you are making them in Microsoft Word, use proper styles and heading levels and don’t forget to use Word’s built-in accessibility checker.
At this stage of production you will decide which, if any sections of the book to omit from the audiobook version. Many commercial audiobooks will omit elements such as footnotes, bibliographies, appendixes, etc.
Note: Something to consider here is that the audiobook version may be the only version of a particular title that is accessible for someone. For this reason, try to omit as little as possible. Elements such as footnotes and bibliographies can be included in an audiobook as their own separate tracks, and if they are properly labeled, they can be skipped by readers who are not interested.
Two elements which do not translate well to audiobook format are indexes and tables of contents. Indexes usually reference page numbers which are not present in the audiobook. If it is important to include the index, you might consider including it in a “supplementary document” such as an accessible Word or HTML document, which gives the reader the option to review it in a more navigable format.Tables of Contents also often reference page numbers, and if your audiobook tracks are properly labeled, the tracks themselves will serve the same purpose.
When reviewing the title and putting together your run sheet, this is a perfect time to assess whether the book contains any images that will require a description
One of the most important things that can be done to ensure the accessibility of an audiobook is to include quality image descriptions for any images present in the title. Ideally you will already have a set of well written image descriptions that were created for the EPUB. If that is the case, then you can use those same descriptions for the audiobook version.
When incorporating image descriptions into an audiobook, it is important to signify to the reader that what they are hearing is an image description; a good approach is to have the narrator read “Begin Image Description” and “End Image Description” before and after the description.
Image descriptions should be one of the first things you consider in your audiobook project, as some books can have dozens of images, and each one can take quite a long time to compose. If you need to compose your own image descriptions for a project, consider collaborating with the author if possible, as they will have the best understanding of the intent of the images. If you are working with culturally sensitive images, you should also consider reaching out to someone with expertise in that area.
Images should be placed as closely as possible to where they appear in the print or EPUB version of a book. They can sometimes appear in the middle of a paragraph, so you may want to move them to the end of a paragraph to not break the flow of the narrator.
For more information about how to write image descriptions, who should write them, how to review them, and more, visit the Image Descriptions area of the website.
Now that you are familiar with the book and have created your run sheet, you should have a good sense of the overall tone and an idea of a good fit for a narrator. A talented voice actor can handle several different characters’ roles, but there are a few specific cases where you might want to be more selective.
Any good narrator should be able to handle any of the accessibility considerations mentioned in this guide. The most important thing is to provide them with the correct information in the run sheet, so that they know to record it.
At this stage you should have a batch of properly labeled audio files recorded at acceptable audio levels to begin working with. This next step will not go into the editing and mastering side of things as it can be a bit subjective, but rather focus on a few basic steps you can follow to ensure your audiobook is fully accessible.
Some important things to consider during postproduction:
Many accessibility factors are determined by the user’s reading system. This is why it is important to ensure things like track names and metadata are properly formatted to ensure a more accessible reading experience regardless of the device.
For MP3 files, the most common type of metadata is ID3 tags. They can usually be edited and customized in most audio editing programs as well as media players such as Apple Music. While they are originally intended for music albums, many of the elements can be adapted to be used in an MP3 audiobook.
Here are a few common ID3 fields which can be adapted for audiobook purposes:
Note: The name of some fields may vary depending on the type of software being used.
Another way to ensure your audiobooks are accessible and navigable on a variety of devices is to include a playlist file with your MP3s. M3U playlist files are the most cross-compatible playlist file for different devices and operating systems and can be created using several different programs. The M3U file is a text file of a playlist or library that retains the way you have ordered your files. Common media players like iTunes and Windows Media Player can be used to create these M3U files – you’ll find easy directions on this if you look up “creating M3U file + the name of your media player”.
Once you have create the M3U playlist file, to double check that the playlist worked properly, open the playlist in a text editor (such as Notepad or TextEdit), and make sure the playlist just has the filenames and is not looking for files in /Users/JohnDoe/Music/iTunes/, or similar. The playlist should only have information for the tracks and not contain directories from your computer. A properly formatted one will look something like the following when viewed in a text editor:
#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:N/A,01 Opening Credits
01 Opening Credits.mp3
#EXTINF:N/A,02 Print Copyright
02 Print Copyright.mp3
#EXTINF:N/A,03 Title Page
03 Title Page.mp3
And so on, for every track in the audiobook.
If you follow these steps, you will have a very accessible audiobook on your hands!
While this site is designed with movies in mind, the same principles for making an M3U playlist will apply for audiobooks. This page discusses how to make playlists using three popular media players: Windows Media Player (PC), iTunes (Mac), and VLC (Mac and PC).