diff --git a/core/models.py b/core/models.py
index 3408a658..bdeeb5b8 100755
--- a/core/models.py
+++ b/core/models.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from datetime import timedelta, datetime
 from decimal import Decimal
 from notification import models as notification
 from postmonkey import PostMonkey, MailChimpException
+from sorl.thumbnail import get_thumbnail
 from tempfile import SpooledTemporaryFile
 
 '''
@@ -1711,16 +1712,20 @@ class Edition(models.Model):
             return "%s (GLUE %s) %s" % (self.title, self.id, self.publisher)
 
     def cover_image_small(self):
-        if self.cover_image:        
-            return self.cover_image
+        #80 pixel high image
+        if self.cover_image: 
+            im = get_thumbnail(self.cover_image, 'x80', crop='noop', quality=95)       
+            return im.url
         elif self.googlebooks_id:
             return "https://encrypted.google.com/books?id=%s&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=5" % self.googlebooks_id
         else:
             return ''
             
     def cover_image_thumbnail(self):
+        #128 pixel wide image
         if self.cover_image:        
-            return self.cover_image
+            im = get_thumbnail(self.cover_image, '128', crop='noop', quality=95) 
+            return im.url      
         elif self.googlebooks_id:
             return "https://encrypted.google.com/books?id=%s&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" % self.googlebooks_id
         else:
diff --git a/frontend/templates/book_panel.html b/frontend/templates/book_panel.html
index f7f59a37..5e0c64d0 100644
--- a/frontend/templates/book_panel.html
+++ b/frontend/templates/book_panel.html
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@
 		</div>
     </div>
     <div class="listview panelfront side1 book-thumb">
-         <a href="{% if workid %}{% url 'work' workid %}{% else %}{% url 'googlebooks' googlebooks_id %}{% endif %}" target="_top"><img src="{% if thumbnail %}{{ thumbnail }}{% else %}/static/images/generic_cover_larger.png{% endif %}" alt="Book cover" title="book cover" /></a>
+         <a href="{% if workid %}{% url 'work' workid %}{% else %}{% url 'googlebooks' googlebooks_id %}{% endif %}" target="_top"><img src="{{ thumbnail }}" alt="Book cover" title="book cover" /></a>
     </div>
     <div class="listview panelfront side1 book-name">
         <div class="title">
diff --git a/frontend/templates/home.html b/frontend/templates/home.html
index 1125c1fb..4c50aede 100755
--- a/frontend/templates/home.html
+++ b/frontend/templates/home.html
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function put_un_in_cookie2(){
                                 {% if work.googlebooks_id %}
                                     <img src="{{ work.cover_image_thumbnail }}" alt="Find {{ work.title }} at Google Books" title="Find {{ work.title }} at Google Books" width="131" height="192" />
                                 {% else %}
-                                    <img src="{% if work.cover_image_thumbnail %}{{ work.cover_image_thumbnail }}{% else %}/static/images/generic_cover_larger.png{% endif %}" alt="{{ work.title }}" title="{{ work.title }}" width="131" height="192" />
+                                    <img src="{{ work.cover_image_thumbnail }}" alt="{{ work.title }}" title="{{ work.title }}" width="131" height="192" />
                                 {% endif %}
                             </a>
                             <div class="quicktour" style=" padding-top: 10px;padding-left: 5px;">
diff --git a/frontend/templates/work.html b/frontend/templates/work.html
index d753a20f..e18511fb 100644
--- a/frontend/templates/work.html
+++ b/frontend/templates/work.html
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
                                 </div>
                             {% else %}
                                 <div id="book-detail-img">
-                                    <img itemprop="image" src="{% if work.cover_image_thumbnail %}{{ work.cover_image_thumbnail }}{% else %}/static/images/generic_cover_larger.png{% endif %}" alt="{{ work.title }}" title="{{ work.title }}" width="131" height="192" />
+                                    <img itemprop="image" src="{{ work.cover_image_thumbnail }}" alt="{{ work.title }}" title="{{ work.title }}" width="131" height="192" />
                                 </div>
                             {% endif %}
                             <div class="book-detail-info">
diff --git a/requirements_versioned.pip b/requirements_versioned.pip
index 417bbb79..1d0b841b 100644
--- a/requirements_versioned.pip
+++ b/requirements_versioned.pip
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ requests==2.6.0
 requests-oauthlib==0.4.2
 selenium==2.46.0
 six==1.9.0
+sorl-thumbnail==12.3
 ssh==1.7.14
 stevedore==0.4
 stripe==1.9.1
diff --git a/settings/common.py b/settings/common.py
index 31895ce6..572d0d16 100644
--- a/settings/common.py
+++ b/settings/common.py
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = (
     'notification',
     'email_change',
     'ckeditor',
-    'storages',    
+    'storages', 
+    'sorl.thumbnail',   
     # this must appear *after* django.frontend or else it overrides the 
     # registration templates in frontend/templates/registration
     'django.contrib.admin',