We CAN! promote our books

Nothing Lasts Forever: Library Purchasing Trends

Judy here, back after a break to spend some precious time with my dad and his wife. Speaking of my dad, since my childhood his favorite saying has been, "Nothing lasts forever--life is always changing."

From the changes wrought by the Internet to new materials and formats, my dad's wise words apply to the public library. In the conclusion to this series on marketing to public libraries, we'll take a look at some of the trends in library purchasing.

Book Clubs: the Library Connection

Book clubs: a subject dear to my heart. I held a book club for elementary school children at my library long before book discussion groups became popular. Now, thanks to Oprah, book clubs permeate the literary landscape. Large and small communities hold book discussion clubs in homes, bookstores, libraries, churches, and other venues. Public libraries offer numerous ways for authors to connect with book clubs and readers through discussion groups held at the library, access to online book clubs, community reads, and book club kits.

Public Library Web Sites: Where's the Card Catalog?

Greetings! Judy here with a confession: I started my library career back in the dark ages. No, not quite in the days of clay tablet books, but long before computers were commonplace in public libraries. My first library job was shelving books. Our large card catalog with its drawers of cards held a prominent place in the library. Years later, when I starting working as a children's librarian, we used a microfiche catalog. We thought we were so cutting edge. But now, from self-checkout to online reference databases, libraries are firmly planted in the computer age, and library Web sites provide some unexpected marketing opportunities once the library has purchased your book.

Authors & Library Summer Reading Programs

Judy here, rejoicing that after a long, wet winter spring has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Azaleas and rhododendrons are blooming. Later this week we're supposed to get a tease of warm summer weather. But, as a children's librarian, the harbinger of spring and summer was my annual trek to the schools to promote the summer reading program--something I miss in my current job as a substiute librarian. But what do summer reading programs have to do with authors promoting their books to libraries--especially those of us who write for adults? Today we'll look at an often overlooked promotional opportunity--the library's summer reading program.

Partying at the Library: Author Events

Greetings! Library Day has changed to Tuesday, so grab your library books and let's check out what's happening at the library--since our topic today is author events. As authors we devote much time and energy to events at bookstores. Few of us think of the public library as a venue for author readings and speaking events. Yet libraries are the culture centers for many communities. In addition, librarians, with a calendar of community programs to fill, welcome the opportunity to partner with authors in presenting events for the public. Here are eight tips to ensure a win/win situation for both you and the library:

Behind the Scenes of the Library Book Selection Process

Greetings! Welcome back to the world of the public library. Last time we discussed the major criteria used by librarians in making their purchasing decisions--the library's mission statement, book reviews, patron requests, etc. But what happens after the librarians have collected all their selection tools and criteria information? Today we'll take a peek at the public library's book selection process.

Finding a Home on Library Shelves: Book Selection Criteria

Welcome back to the world of the public library!

The day you've longed for has finally arrived--you hold your brand new book in your hands. Armed with the public library locator tools, you researched and compiled your target list of libraries. You took steps to ensure that your book is "library friendly," and sent information about your book to targeted libraries. Now (gulp), it's out of your hands. So, how do librarians decide which books find homes on the shelves of the public library? Today we'll take a look at the key criteria and questions librarians use in making their purchasing decisions:

The Power of a Book Review

Book reviews. We authors either love 'em or hate 'em. But for librarians, book reviews are the most powerful tool in their book selection toolbox.

Is Your Book Library-Friendly?

Greetings! The adage, "you only have one chance to make a first impression," is never truer than when marketing your books to public libraries. Acquisitions librarians are inundated with publishers' catalogs, book reviews, flyers, postcards, and sometimes review copies. How do you make your book stand out in the crowd?

Here are four ways to ensure that your book is library-friendly:

Connecting with Libraries, Part 2

Judy Gann here, continuing our discussion on connecting with public libraries. Last week we explored ways to connect with libraries in your neighborhood, and also looked at directories of libraries throughout the United States. But now that you've decided which libraries to target, how do you get your books into the hands of the all-important decision maker--the librarian who selects books for the library?

Who are the Decision Makers?

"Always be nice to librarians. You never know if one of them is a buyer." Laura Van Wormer, Novelist.

Libraries identify the librarians who make purchasing decisions by various titles: Acquisitions Librarian, Collection Development Librarian, Collection Services Manager. In small independent (not part of a library system) libraries, the director of the library usually selects the materials.