Public Lending Right: Get Paid When Your Book Is Borrowed
A free UK scheme that pays authors every time their book is borrowed from a public library.
What Is Public Lending Right?
Public Lending Right (PLR) is a UK scheme, run by the British Library on behalf of the government, that pays authors a small fee every time their book is borrowed from a public library. It costs nothing to register.
What It Is
PLR is a free government-backed scheme that rewards authors whose books circulate in UK public libraries. Payments are made annually based on a sample of recorded loans nationwide.
Who Can Register
Any author, illustrator, or contributor to a book available for loan through UK public libraries can register, including independent authors publishing through Tales From A Harrogate Caravan, provided the book has an ISBN and is eligible for library lending.
How Much You Get Paid
Payments are calculated from a sample of loans and paid out once a year. The rate per loan is set annually by the scheme. It is modest per loan, but it rewards books that keep circulating long after publication.
How to Register
Registration is free and done directly through the PLR online system.
1. Get an ISBN
Your book needs an ISBN before you can register, since loans are tracked by edition. See our ISBN guide for how this works.
2. Register Online
Create a free account with the PLR scheme and add your book details, including ISBN, title, and publication date.
3. Confirm Shares
If your book has co-authors or an illustrator, you will need to confirm how the payment is split between contributors.
Registration usually needs to happen within a set window after publication, so it is worth registering as soon as your book is available.
Questions About Publishing Your Book?
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