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Set up an audiobook library (Beta)

Silo is in active development before 1.0. These guides are updated frequently.

Use one folder per book. Silo groups the audio files directly inside that folder into a book and reads its title, author, and other details from embedded tags.

Folder layout

Section titled “Folder layout”

A single-file book can contain its own chapter markers:

audiobooks/
  Author Name/
    Book Name/
      Book Name.m4b

For a book split into files:

audiobooks/
  Author Name/
    Book Name/
      01 - Opening.mp3
      02 - First chapter.mp3
      03 - Second chapter.mp3

Each file becomes a chapter. Silo sorts filenames in natural order, so part2 comes before part10.

The scanner recognizes .m4b, .m4a, .mp3, .flac, .opus, .ogg, .wav, and .aac, although not every client can play every format directly. Silo can’t import DRM-protected Audible files.

Metadata

Section titled “Metadata”

Silo reads these tags. Fix them in a tag editor before scanning:

InformationTags
Book titletitle or album
Authoralbum_artist, artist, or composer
Narratornarrator or performer
Series and positionseries / series-part, or mvnm / mvin
Audible identifierasin or audible_asin

For a multi-file book, Silo reads book metadata from the first file in sort order. Correct that file’s tags when the whole book has the wrong title or author.

Create an audiobook library

Section titled “Create an audiobook library”
  1. Open Admin > Libraries and select Add Library.
  2. Choose Audiobooks, enter a name, and add the container-visible folder, for example /mnt/media/audiobooks.
  3. Review the library’s metadata provider settings, then save and scan.
  4. Open a book from the library and look at its title, author, cover, duration, and chapter order. Play it and seek to a later chapter.

Audiobooks use the same MEDIA_ROOT mount as movies and series, so you don’t need another Docker volume.

Metadata enrichment

Section titled “Metadata enrichment”

The first-party audiobook metadata plugin can add covers and book details. Install and configure it under Admin > Plugins, then select it in the library’s provider list. An accurate ASIN tag improves matching with providers that use it.

A provider match doesn’t change chapter order. Fix that in the filenames or embedded chapters.

Playback

Section titled “Playback”

Listeners use their usual Silo server address in the Silo apps. Audiobookshelf-compatible apps use a separate address.