18. Glossary

Terms in this glossary are listed alphabetically. Where Cirrus Reader Studio uses more than one name for the same thing, the other names are listed under Also shown as.

A

Account: Your personal sign-in to Cirrus Reader Studio, tied to your email address. → Key concepts, Settings: Account

Account menu: The menu that opens from your name at the bottom of the sidebar, with Account settings, the colour-mode setting and Log out. → Finding your way around

Active: (1) An API key that is switched on. (2) A metadata field that can be used. (3) A subscription that is paid up. Opposite: Inactive, Archived.

Active Readers: The number of different people who have been reading this month. → Dashboard

Admin: A workspace role that can also manage billing and the team. → Team members and roles

Alt text: A short written description of an image (here, a publication's cover) for people who cannot see it, for example, people using screen readers. Also shown as: Alt Text, Cover Image Alt. → Change the cover and metadata

API: "Application programming interface": the way other computer systems talk to Cirrus automatically. You only need to know that API keys give access to it.

API key: A secret password that lets another system use the Cirrus API. Shown in full only once, when created. → API keys

Appearance (colour mode): Whether Cirrus Reader Studio is shown in Light, Dark or System colours. Set it in the account menu. → The account menu

Archive / Archived: An archived metadata field is hidden when adding metadata but keeps existing values. → Manage metadata fields

Asset: A file stored in the Resource Manager: a font, logo, image or icon. A kind of resource. → Resource Manager

Assign Collection: The button that sets the collections of several selected publications at once. It replaces their existing collections. → Collections

Audio: Audiobooks in the W3C Audiobook format (.lpf files). Upload them with Upload Publication (not drag and drop or Google Drive).

Authenticated Access: The default and most basic security level. → Security levels

Available Renderers: The page-turning styles readers can choose from. → Features tab

B

Bandwidth: See Data transfer.

Bandwidth allowance: The amount of data transfer included in your plan each month. → Plans

Billing period: The month-long period your subscription and bandwidth allowance cover, starting on the day you subscribed.

Bookmarks: Pages a reader has marked so they can return to them. Can be turned off in a Reader Instance.

Books Read: On the Reader Users page, the number of different publications a reader has opened. Also shown as: Publications Read.

Bulk Upload: Importing several EPUB or PDF files at once from Google Drive. → Upload several publications at once

C

Catalogue: The page where you manage all your publications and collections. Also shown as: Catalogue Management. → Publications

Cirrus API: The service your web team can use to connect other systems to Cirrus, for example, to start reading sessions. Access needs an API key. → Getting help

Cirrus Fonts: Fonts provided by Cirrus for use in your readers: Inter, Roboto, Lato, Open Sans and Open Dyslexic.

Cirrus Reader Studio: The website where you manage your publications and readers (this product). Also shown as: Cirrus Reader Studio, Colibrio Cirrus - Studio.

Collection: A named group of publications. → Collections

Color palette: A set of colours for a Reader Instance, such as Light Mode or Paper Mode. → Theme tab

Completion Rate: The share of finished reading sessions that reached the end of a publication. → Reading statistics

Configuration Type: In the Embed dialog, how the Reader Embed knows which publication to show: Script Configuration or URL Query Parameters. → Choose how the publication is picked

Continuous Scroll: A page-turning style where readers scroll through the publication instead of turning pages. Off by default. → Features tab

CSS: The language web designers use to set how web pages look. See Custom CSS.

Current edition: The edition of a publication that readers see. → Editions

Custom CSS: Extra style rules for the publication's text, written by a web designer. → Theme tab

Custom metadata: Details you add to a publication using your own field names. → Change the cover and metadata

D

Dark Mode / Dark Contrast Mode: Palettes with light text on a dark background. Dark Contrast Mode uses stronger contrast for easier reading.

Dashboard: The summary page you see after signing in. → Dashboard

Data transfer: The amount of data sent to readers, measured in MB and GB. Limited by your plan. Also shown as: bandwidth. → Key concepts, Usage

Default instance: The Reader Instance used when you read a publication inside Cirrus Reader Studio. Cannot be deleted. Also shown as: Default Instance (label), "Use for internal reading" (menu), internal reading. → Change the default instance

Default Palette: The colour palette a Reader Instance starts with. → Theme tab

Delivery Network: The Cirrus service that sends publications to readers' browsers. Mentioned in the security level descriptions.

Demote: Change an admin back to a member. Only the owner can do this.

Domain: The main part of a website address, such as www.example.com. → Domains

Draft: A publication status: hidden from readers. Opposite: Live. → Make a publication Live or Draft

Duplicate: Make a copy of a Reader Instance.

E

Edition: A version of a publication's file. A publication can have several; one is current. Also shown as: Version, v1, v2… → Editions

Edition Notes: Notes about an edition, shown on the Details tab for version 2 and later.

Embed / Embed code: The piece of website code that makes a Reader Instance appear on a web page. Also shown as: code snippet, Embed Reader. → Putting a Reader Instance on your website

EPUB: The standard e-book file format. Either reflowable or fixed-layout. → Key concepts

F

Failed: An upload that could not be processed. Contact support. → Processing and failed uploads

Features: The reader functions you can switch on or off: Table of Contents, Bookmarks, Highlights and Read Aloud. → Features tab

Fixed-layout EPUB: An EPUB whose pages keep their exact design, like a picture book. Counted in pages. Also shown as: Fixed-Layout EPUB3, Fixed Layout.

Flip Book: A page-turning style that looks like turning the pages of a printed book.

Font: A typeface file (OTF, TTF, WOFF or WOFF2) you can upload and use in your readers.

G

Google Drive: An online file storage service you can import publications from with Bulk Upload.

Grace period: Extra time to fix a failed payment before access is restricted.

H

Highlights: Text a reader has highlighted. Can be turned off in a Reader Instance.

Hostname: The technical term for a domain, as shown in a domain's Properties panel.

I

Icon: A small picture on a reader button. You can upload your own (SVG, PNG or JPG). → Features tab

Image: A picture file (PNG, JPG or SVG) stored in the Resource Manager.

In use: Shown on resources and metadata fields that are being used, and so cannot be deleted.

Inactive: An API key that has been switched off with Revoke API Key. It can be switched back on.

Integrations: The page where you create API keys and connect other services. → Integrations

Invitation: An email inviting someone to join a workspace. Expires after 7 days. → Invite someone

Is Sample Instance: The setting that makes a Reader Instance show only samples. → Set up sample-only reading

ISBN: International Standard Book Number, the 10- or 13-character book identifier. Also shown as: Isbn.

L

Last Origin: The website where a reader last read one of your publications.

Layout: Where a reader's buttons and controls are placed. There are five layouts. → Layout tab

Layout Type: Whether a publication is reflowable or fixed-layout.

Light Mode: A palette with dark text on a light background.

Live: A publication status: available to readers. Opposite: Draft.

Logo: Your organisation's logo, shown in a Reader Instance. → Theme tab

M

Member: A workspace role for everyday work, without access to billing or team management. → Team members and roles

Metadata: Details that describe a publication, such as ISBN and publisher. → Change the cover and metadata

Metadata field: A saved name for custom metadata (such as "Series") that everyone in the workspace can reuse. → Manage metadata fields

MFA: "Multi-factor authentication". See Two-factor authentication.

O

Origin: The website a reader was on when they read your publication.

Owner: The person who created a workspace. Always an admin and the only one who can demote admins.

P

Page Count: The number of pages in a PDF, fixed-layout EPUB or audio publication.

Paper Mode: A palette with soft, paper-like colours.

Parameter: In a web address, a named value after the ?, such as publication=abc123. Used by the URL Query Parameters embed option. → Choose how the publication is picked

PDF: (Portable Document Format) A common, fixed layout document file format.

Permitted domain: A domain that is allowed to show your Reader Instances. Also shown as: Permitted Domain Name, Permitted Domains. → Domains

Personal workspace: The workspace created for you when you sign up, shown with (Personal) after its name. You are its owner.

Plan: Your subscription level: Starter, Growth, Pro or Enterprise. → Subscription and billing

Pre-Authentication: The strictest security level. Your website's server must ask Cirrus for permission before each reading session. → Pre Authentication

Preview publication: The publication shown in the Reader Instance editor's live preview. Not to be confused with Publication Preview (the sample). Also shown as: "Use for Reading Instance Previews", "Used for Reading Instance Previews". → Choose the preview publication

Processing: The checks and preparation a file goes through after upload. → Processing and failed uploads

Promote: Make a member an admin.

Properties panel: The panel that opens on the right when you click a row in a list. → The Properties panel

Publication: An item in your catalogue, such as a book, PDF or audiobook. Also shown as: book (in "Manage Books" and "Books Read"). → Publications

Publication Id: The unique code that identifies a publication. Needed for embed codes. → Copy the ID

Publication queue: The list that appears when you drag files onto the Catalogue. → Drag and drop

Q

Quarantined: An upload that the virus scanner flagged as dangerous. → Processing and failed uploads

R

Read Aloud: A feature that reads the publication out loud. Can be turned off in a Reader Instance.

Reader: (1) A person who reads your publications on your website. This is the only meaning used in this manual. Also shown as: Reader User. → Reader Users (2) Sometimes used on screen to mean a Reader Instance (as in "Create A Reader" or "Save Reader").

Reader Instance: A saved design for the Reader Embed on your website. Also shown as: Cirrus Reader instance, Cirrus Reader Configuration, Cirrus Reader widget, Reader, Reading Instance. → Reader Instances

Reader Instance ID: The unique code that identifies a Reader Instance.

Reading History: The list of publications a reader has opened. → A reader's details

Reading session: See Session.

Reader Embed: What readers see on your website: the publication, displayed with the design of a Reader Instance.

Reflowable EPUB: An EPUB whose text adjusts to fit the screen. Counted in sections.

Renderer: A page-turning style, such as Single Page Swipe or Continuous Scroll. → Features tab

Resource: Something shared across your workspace and managed in the Resource Manager: a file you reuse in your Reader Instances (font, logo, image or icon), or a custom metadata field. → Resource Manager

Resource Manager: The page where you manage resources. → Resource Manager

Restricted access: The state of a workspace with an unresolved billing problem. Only Dashboard and Settings work. Also shown as: "Account access is restricted". → When access is restricted

Revoke: (1) For an API key: switch it off. This can be undone with Enable API Key. (2) For an invitation: cancel it. This cannot be undone.

Row menu (⋮): The menu of actions at the end of a row in a list. Also shown as: Actions.

S

Sample: The chapters or pages of a publication shown by a sample instance. Also shown as: Publication Preview, Sample Sections, Sample Pages. Not to be confused with the preview publication. → Choose a sample

Sample instance: A Reader Instance that shows only samples. Also shown as: Sample Instance (label). → Set up sample-only reading

Script Configuration: The embed option for showing one fixed publication on a page. → Choose how the publication is picked

Section / Section Count: A part of a reflowable EPUB, usually a chapter and the number of them.

Security level: How strictly a Reader Instance checks access: Authenticated Access, Signed Requests or Pre Authentication. → Security levels

Server: The computer that runs your website. Needed for Pre Authentication.

Session: One continuous period of reading by one reader.

Signed Requests: The middle security level. Every request must carry a unique signature.

Single Document Scroll / Single Page Swipe / Spread Swipe: Page-turning styles: scrolling within the publication, swiping one page at a time or swiping two pages side by side. → Features tab

Snapshot: The small picture of each Reader Instance on the Reader Instances list.

Status: For a publication, Live or Draft. For an API key, Active or Inactive. For a metadata field, Active or Archived.

Subdomain: A web address that adds a part in front of your main domain, such as shop.example.com. Each one must be added as a separate permitted domain.

Subscription: See Plan.

System Aware: A palette that follows the reader's device setting for light or dark mode.

T

Table of Contents: A list of chapters readers can use to jump around a publication. Can be turned off in a Reader Instance.

Team member: Anyone with access to a workspace. → Workspace

Token request: For Pre Authentication, the request your website's server sends to Cirrus to start a reading session. → Pre Authentication

Trial: The free 30-day period for new accounts. → Your free trial

Trusted device: A browser you have told Cirrus to remember, so you are not asked for a two-factor code every time.

Two-factor authentication: A second sign-in step using a code from an authenticator app. Also shown as: MFA, MFA settings. → Security

U

UI: "User interface": the buttons and menus of the Reader Embed, as opposed to the publication's text.

Uncategorized: A publication that is in no collection.

Upgrade / Downgrade: Changing to a bigger or smaller plan. Upgrades happen immediately; downgrades at the end of the billing period.

URL Query Parameters: The embed option where the publication (and reader) are named in the page's web address. → Choose how the publication is picked

Usage: The Settings tab showing data transfer. → Usage

User Id: Your own identifier for a reader (such as a customer number), passed by your website in the embed code. Also shown as: User ID.

User Token: An anonymous code Cirrus gives to each reader's device and browser.

V

Version: (1) For a publication, see Edition. (2) For a Reader Instance, a value that changes each time you save it. The embed code includes it, so the code must be copied again after each save. → Re-copy the code after every change

View Publication: Opens a publication full-screen inside Cirrus Reader Studio, using the default instance.

W

Wildcard: A * used to mean "any subdomain", as in *.example.com. Not accepted for permitted domains.

Workspace: The shared space where all your organisation's content, settings, team and billing live. → Key concepts

Workspace switcher: The button at the bottom of the sidebar for moving between workspaces. → The workspace switcher