FAQ
Frequently asked questions:
What is RCLibrary?
What format are the titles in?
Why are you doing this?
How do I submit a book to RCLibrary?
What settings should I use for scanning?
What about copyright?
Show me the money
Who are you?
RCLibrary is a collection of titles that are free to download. By title we mean a book, a magazine, a catalogue - a printed matter thing. The titles are all old and all out of print. The subject matter is broadly based on aeromodelling. The tiles are all free to everyone to download.
Titles are all in PDF format. Most are in a single PDF file, but some of the larger titles are split into 3 or 4 files for easier download.
It all started with the launch of the Outerzone site back in 2011. Outerzone is a collection of old vintage and old-timer model aircraft plans, sorted and indexed and available as free downloads. The popularity of Outerzone led to the launch of RCLibrary. Outerzone is for plans, RCLibrary is for books. The big reason to do this is to get all the available titles into one central (and secure) location, that has a good search facility. From here we can work onwards together and hopefully build a bigger, better, free online library.
How do I submit a title to RCLibrary?
If you have a title you want to submit, that's great. Be aware we have no way to deal with paper copies, so plans must be scanned and sent to us here electronically. You can try emailing files to us as attachments, or if the files are large (say over 15MB) then we suggest using a file transfer service like dropbox or wetransfer. It's probably best to start by emailing us with some details at admin@rclibrary.co.uk to begin with. We will first of all need to check that the title is out of print, then discuss how to scan and send it.
What settings should I use for scanning?
Short answer: 400 dpi resolution, using a greyscale setting. That's a good place to start. The long answer: we want as much detail as possible in the scan, so higher resolution is always better. Scanning at higher resolution will take longer and result in larger file sizes, but the quality of the finished product will be better. As far as colour is concerned, if the title was printed in colour then of course scan it in colour. But the bulk of all the pages we have here are all in greyscale. The reason not to use colour for everything is to reduce filesize and scanning time. If you think you can get better results using line-art setting (2 colour harsh B&W) that's fine, use your own judgement. Depends on the content. We'll take what we can get, to be honest. Whatever works for you. Lastly, ideally, scan each page with the same setting, aligned in the same way, in the same corner of the scanner plate, flattened against the glass and with a dark cover pressed down on top of it, to prevent the ghosting through of line art from the opposite side of the paper.
It is our understanding that all the titles listed on this site are out of print 'orphan works' and in the public domain. If you believe otherwise, please contact us. If you hold the copyright of a particular title in RCLibrary and want it removed, let us know.
This is a not-for-profit operation. Use of the site is free. Downloading titles is free. There are no subscriptions, no charges. The only monies involved are the cost of hosting the site - which will hopefully be covered by advertising revenue and donations.
Want to make a donation? If you want to make a small contribution then click here to donate using Paypal. And bless you.
My name is Mary. I live near Bradford in West Yorkshire UK. I have a husband called Steve, who really likes plans.
My question is not listed here. How do I get an answer?
Is there something you think should appear here? email admin@rclibrary.co.uk