We are excited to announce that a brand-new issue of CALAMEO Magazine is now online!
For our second issue, we decided to take on a subject that a lot of people are thinking about this time of year: travel. We love travel publications on Calaméo and getting to know destinations all around the world, so we devoted this issue to vacations, staycations and adventure. Check out some of our favorite reads, learn how changing travel trends impact digital publishing and more.
Be sure to take a peek around the viewer—it’s all decked out in the custom Skin we made just for the magazine.
💡TIP: Missed the first issue? Browse CALAMEO Mag #1 now!
We’re especially proud of our global community here at Calaméo and hope that our users everywhere will enjoy this latest issue of CALAMEO Magazine. Happy reading!
Where in the world are you reading CALAMEO Magazine from? Tag us on Twitter @calameo and let us know!
Virtual libraries offer a great tool for showcasing content on your website and keeping it organized. In fact, the easy-to-use Library Widget is one of our favorite digital publishing features on Calaméo. You can create your own virtual library, customize it and share in only a few clicks.
Let’s dive in to all the essentials of curating your virtual library!
A virtual library is a convenient, fun way to display a collection of digital publications. Just like a regular bookshelf, your virtual library allows you to bring together a group of materials in one place. It’s an inviting space where you can browse, read or simply show off your beautiful publications!
How to set up your own virtual library
You can make a virtual library in just a few minutes on Calaméo. In order to create a library widget stocked with your own Calaméo publications, go to the Publications tab of your account.
First, choose the Folder whose publications you wish to include in your virtual library. All of the public publications in that Folder will appear in your library shelves. (Your private publications are never displayed in the library widget.)
Next, click on the three squares icon at the top of the page to create your virtual library.
Finally, fine-tune the look of your library widget by clicking on “customize options”. You can select:
A background texture or color
How many shelves to show
The thumbnail size of your publication covers
Publication information to show
How to order your publications
How to open publications when clicked
Thumbnail design features like the cover drop shadow
While you adjust the details, you’ll be able to see the changes in real time directly in the preview window. Once you’re happy with the appearance, just copy the embed code. And that’s it—everything you need to create your own virtual library!
Watch our video tutorial on how to create a virtual library below:
💡 TIP: Prefer to view the tutorial in a different language? Use the Settings icon in the video player to select your subtitles.
How to display a virtual library
Congratulations—your library widget is all set up and ready to go! Meanwhile, the next step is to consider how you would like to share your virtual library. For example, you might want to display your publications on your website or blog. Or perhaps you’d rather have a link to email to friends, contacts or customers.
Libraries on your own website
Sharing your virtual library on your own blog or website is a piece of cake. After you have finished customizing the design of your bookshelves, copy the HTML embed code.
If your site is built with WordPress or Joomla, you can install our plug-in and paste the code right into a blog post or page. For example, this code:
However, other websites may require you to specify a container for your virtual library. Consult your CMS’s specifications or check with your webmaster for more information.
To display all of the publications in your virtual library on Calaméo, you can share a link to a Folder or Favorites list. Although the bookshelf interface is not available on Folder or Favorites pages, your audience will be able to view and explore the entire collection.
Linking to a Favorites list
To share a Favorites list, start by going to the Favorites tab of your account. Then select the list that you want to share from the left-hand menu. Finally, click the Share icon. In the window that opens, copy the URL and start sharing!
Linking to a Folder
To share a Folder, head to the Publications tab of your account. Choose the Folder whose publications you want to share from the left-hand menu, then click the Share icon. Grab the link to your Folder and you’re set to share.
Why make a virtual library
There are lots of great reasons to create your own virtual library. In fact, we reviewed 10 of the best for anyone who needs convincing! But to keep things simple, here are the top three benefits of a library widget.
Perfect presentation
The biggest advantage of a virtual library is the easy, interactive way it lets you showcase different publications. Whether the shelves are filled with every issue of your magazine or a variety of materials, a library widget can boost your publications’ visual impact.
Plus, browsing your publications in a virtual library is a breeze thanks to its intuitive navigation. Visitors can click any cover to open the publication in full screen or a new window, then return to your library when they’ve finished reading.
Painless updates
Another great feature solves a major headache for many publishers: the content in your virtual library updates automatically. Whenever you add a new publication to your library’s Folder on Calaméo, it also appears on your embedded bookshelf. As a result, you never need to worry about manually importing content to maintain your site.
Likewise, removing publications from your virtual library only takes a minute. Set them to private, move to a different Folder or deactivate out-of-date materials.
Extra insights
You’ll benefit from useful viewership analytics when you create your own virtual library on Calaméo, too. Because it’s important to know where your audience comes from and how they interact with your content, your account statistics show library details. You’ll see what percentage of your publications’ views happen in your virtual library, as well as other advanced statistics like link clicks and downloads.
In conclusion, setting up a digital bookshelf couldn’t be simpler. All you need to start is a free Calaméo account! Join today and create your own virtual library.
Marketing content is one of your company’s most valuable assets—but only if people can actually find and use it.
Brochures, white papers, sales presentations, catalogs, and reports are often spread across cloud drives, emails, websites, product folders, and collaboration tools. As a result, teams spend valuable time searching for the right resources, sales representatives share outdated materials, and content quickly loses its value.
A Calaméo library widgetsolves this problem by bringing all your digital publications together in one organized, accessible space. Instead of managing disconnected files, you create a centralized content hub that’s easy to browse, share, and embed on your website.
Why marketing content becomes disorganized
Even companies with well-established marketing processes can struggle to keep their content organized. Several factors contribute to this challenge:
Content is stored across multiple platforms, from cloud storage and CRMs to intranets and email.
There’s no clear ownership of content management.
Multiple versions of the same document circulate throughout the organization.
Marketing, sales, and communications teams often work in separate silos.
Employees don’t have a single place to access the latest approved resources.
This lack of organization creates several problems:
Teams waste time looking for documents.
Outdated or incorrect materials are shared internally and externally.
Brand messaging becomes inconsistent.
Valuable content is underused instead of supporting marketing and sales efforts.
Turn your Calaméo library widget into a central content hub
A Calaméo library widget is much more than a collection of publications. When thoughtfully organized, it becomes a central hub for your marketing content.
Instead of simply storing documents, you create an environment where content is easy to discover, share, and reuse.
A well-organized library widget can:
Provide a single source for your marketing publications.
Help internal teams quickly find the resources they need.
Deliver a consistent brand experience across every touchpoint.
Support sales teams with ready-to-share content for prospects and customers.
Rather than functioning like another shared folder, your library widget becomes a strategic content resource for your entire organization.
How to structure your Calaméo library widget
The effectiveness of your library widget depends less on the number of publications it contains than on how they’re organized.
Organize by audience
One of the simplest ways to improve navigation is to group publications according to the people who use them.
For example:
Executive decision-makers
Marketing teams
Technical teams
Existing customers
Prospective customers
This approach allows every audience to quickly access the content that’s most relevant to their needs.
Organize by funnel stage
Another effective method is to organize publications according to the buyer’s journey.
Top of the Funnel (TOFU): Educational content, industry insights, trend reports, and guides.
Middle of the Funnel (MOFU): White papers, comparison guides, customer success stories, and case studies.
Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU): Product brochures, sales presentations, pricing information, and product documentation.
This structure helps marketing and sales teams work from the same content strategy while supporting prospects at every stage of the purchasing process.
Organize by product or service
If your company offers multiple products or services, organizing publications by offering is often the most intuitive solution.
For example:
Product documentation
Technical datasheets
Industry-specific use cases
Service presentations
Solution overviews
Sales teams can quickly locate the most relevant materials without searching through unrelated content.
Make your library widget easy to navigate
An organized library only delivers value if users can easily browse and share its content.
Here are a few best practices:
Use clear, descriptive publication titles instead of internal file names.
Organize publications with meaningful categories based on audience, product, or purpose.
Add concise descriptions that explain the value of each publication.
Regularly remove or replace outdated documents.
Highlight your most important publications so visitors find them first.
The easier your content is to access, the more likely people are to use it.
How different teams can benefit
A well-structured Calaméo library widget supports teams across your organization.
Marketing
Marketing teams can centralize campaign assets, repurpose existing publications, and maintain consistent messaging across every channel.
Sales
Sales representatives can quickly find the right brochures, presentations, and product information to share with prospects, making every customer conversation more effective.
Internal communications
Internal teams can distribute company updates, onboarding materials, HR resources, and training documents from one central location, ensuring everyone has access to the latest information.
Conclusion
Organizing your Calaméo library widget isn’t just about storing publications—it’s about building a smarter content management system.
By replacing scattered files with a centralized, well-structured library, you make your marketing content easier to discover, easier to share, and far more valuable for every team that relies on it.
When your content is organized, it doesn’t just become easier to find—it becomes easier to use.
