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Blurb Licensing Clarification
Book Printing
Thank you Milisa! Hi Marisa,
Thanks for writing us at Blurb!
I am sorry for the confusion. In a nutshell—no, Blurb absolutely does not take ownership of book content submitted. The BookSmart End User License Agreement (EULA)—which is available on blurb.com under the "Policies and Legal" section—is the primary legal agreement laying out the terms of use for the software. Section 6 clarifies that you retain ownership of all content submitted as part of the book creation process.
The Web Terms and Conditions primarily addresses content otherwise submitted to the web site (through forums, feedback, etc). For this type of user-submitted web content, we require a broad license (Section 8.1(b)) to do whatever we need with it as part of running our web site. This is pretty much the standard for web sites that have user-contributed content. Importantly, "Book Content"—ie content submitted through the BookSmart application as part of the book-making process—is excepted from this broad license, in line with Section 6 of the EULA.
The copyright page of your published book does say, “Portions of this book may be copyright Blurb.com,” but that’s only there to cover any of Blurb’s own original illustrations, content, and designs used in your book. This is your standard self-evident legalese, like “Caution: Coffee may be hot."
Hopefully this helps to clarify the content ownership issue, and to alleviate your concern.
Best Regards,
Milisa
Blurb Customer Support
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Blurb Licensing Clarification
Book Printing
Hi there. Hoping a Blurb staff member can clear this up asap. A fellow iStockphoto member raised a good set of questions about the user agreement here. I think I answered her question correctly, but perhaps I’m just as confused as she. Thought I’d make the confusion public so that others may also benefit from an official Blurb answer. This is my understanding: Content: Includes the text, files, images, photos, video, sounds, works of authorship, and other material. Specifically defined as either Book Content or Other Content.
Book Content: Any material that you include in the Books that you submit to Blurb for print services or that you contribute to the Books of other Members (“Book Content”).
Other Content: Any material that you post in any of our forums, share with other Members through the Services and feedback that you provide to us (the “Other Content”).
C. License to use Other Content. You hereby grant to Blurb an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, fully-paid and royalty free license (with right to sublicense) to create derivative works, reproduce, distribute and publicly display the Other Content that you post on our website in any and all media (now known or later developed) throughout the world.
Item C only pertains to Other Content. Not to your Book Content.
Not sure how they use Item C in practice, but I imagine it’s to promote Blurb and their partners. Correct? Can a staff member confirm or elaborate? Advance thanks!
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Blurb virgin no more. Love my first four Blurb books! Can't wait to make...
Book Printing
After a year of procrastinating, I finally bit the bullet and created four books using Blurb’s Booksmart. Very pleased with the results. Though the following shots were taken with a point and shoot under harsh flash, you get the picture. 
Note that the colors in the Flickr set are more vivid and saturated than the actual books. I am sure that as Blurb develops its process and quality, printed images will be less dull in future editions. That said, I am tickled a dusty rose with the present results. I love the books and look forward to designing and ordering more. Great service. Onward! Check out the whole Flickr set via the link below. http://www.flickr.com/photos/risamay/sets/72157603690803785/
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Book Looks Fantastic. Thank you Blurb for such a great job
General Interest
More preview pages would be a big plus. I concur :-)
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Best customer service ever!! I love you BLURB!
Book Printing
Good to know that the customer service is so on it. And that the replacements were perfect!
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How long will a book last?
Book Printing
^ LOL. That’s good to know though, Bruce. Didn’t realize that about Indigo printed products.
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How many books have you sold?
General Interest
I hadn’t thought about buying in bulk and then selling on my own. Great idea. Very inspiring stories here! Thanks for posting your experiences. Good stuff.
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7X7 printing
Book Printing
I’ve now scoured the forums and am less apprehensive and far more hopeful about my books. I do understand that these are professionally bound bookstore quality volumes and not bound photographs. A professionally bound book of professionally printed photographs would rock the casbah, but would be wildly expensive. It’s just not done for the commercial market. I get that. So, looking forward to my books and holding off on that email. Besides, since our forum posts link back to our profile page, friends, family, and random shoppers will all see my concerns anyhow. Will be sure to follow up with a review of the quality upon receipt of my order. Can’t wait. Fingers crossed! And tickled pink that my Venice volume was selected as a Staff Pick. Grazie mille!!
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7X7 printing
Book Printing
Ugh. I am a professional photog and just created and ordered three books. I sent out an announcement to a huge list of family and friends. Now very apprehensive about the quality of my 7×7 soft covers and thinking I should send a follow-up note to my email list warning them not to order these books until I’ve had the opportunity to review the product, myself. I don’t know which would be more embarassing. Sending such an email or allowing people to possibly purchase a sub par product (rendering them highly unlikely to ever purchase another Blurb book in the future). Guess I should probably send that email.
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