Comments on: Does the Library Request need spin? http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:26:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Cheryl http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/#comment-813 Cheryl Mon, 07 May 2007 18:57:09 +0000 http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/#comment-813 Wow! Some folks who agree with me -- a pleasant change! You're right, Randy, this is a no-brainer. I couldn't believe people on the forum didn't even want to discuss it. I think that <a href="http://www.chicagowriter.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mary Ellen Waszak</a> (www.ChicagoWriter.com) is right on target. And Shawna, thanks for reminding us that many of us fall in love with books from the library and end up buying them. Wow! Some folks who agree with me — a pleasant change! You’re right, Randy, this is a no-brainer. I couldn’t believe people on the forum didn’t even want to discuss it. I think that Mary Ellen Waszak (www.ChicagoWriter.com) is right on target.

And Shawna, thanks for reminding us that many of us fall in love with books from the library and end up buying them.

]]> By: Shawna R. B. Atteberry http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/#comment-812 Shawna R. B. Atteberry Mon, 07 May 2007 17:15:51 +0000 http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/#comment-812 And don't forget that there are those of us who have read library books, and then went and bought the book because it was that good. And don’t forget that there are those of us who have read library books, and then went and bought the book because it was that good.

]]> By: Randy Richardson http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/#comment-793 Randy Richardson Sun, 06 May 2007 23:57:57 +0000 http://murder.booklocker.com/2007/05/06/does-the-library-request-need-spin/#comment-793 Why spin an effort to get your book(s) into libraries? It's a no-brainer: (1) Libraries are book buyers; and (2) If your book(s) aren't in libraries, they aren't going to sell. Posting a library request form on your website is an excellent idea. But you don't even have to convince library patrons to go into the library. Many of the bigger libraries today have online request forms. All you need to do is send a link to that online request form to a patron of that particular library. Let's face it, libraries won't order self-published or POD-published books, or even most small press books, unless the author is proactive. And getting your friends, family, fans, etc. to make such a simple request to their library actually works. About six months ago, I started what I called My Library Project, which was a concerted effort to get my book into libraries. At the time, it was only in about 6 libraries. Now it is in at least 15 that I know of. How can you tell if your book(s) is in a particular library? Simple: Go to http://worldcat.org and type in your book(s) into their library search engine. You'll immediately see how many libraries are holding your book(s). It's not a perfect search engine. I know that my book is in one library and it doesn't show on WorldCat, but it is a pretty great tool and a good indicator of how many libraries have your book(s) in their stacks. Why spin an effort to get your book(s) into libraries? It’s a no-brainer: (1) Libraries are book buyers; and (2) If your book(s) aren’t in libraries, they aren’t going to sell.

Posting a library request form on your website is an excellent idea. But you don’t even have to convince library patrons to go into the library. Many of the bigger libraries today have online request forms. All you need to do is send a link to that online request form to a patron of that particular library.

Let’s face it, libraries won’t order self-published or POD-published books, or even most small press books, unless the author is proactive.

And getting your friends, family, fans, etc. to make such a simple request to their library actually works. About six months ago, I started what I called My Library Project, which was a concerted effort to get my book into libraries. At the time, it was only in about 6 libraries. Now it is in at least 15 that I know of.

How can you tell if your book(s) is in a particular library? Simple: Go to http://worldcat.org and type in your book(s) into their library search engine. You’ll immediately see how many libraries are holding your book(s). It’s not a perfect search engine. I know that my book is in one library and it doesn’t show on WorldCat, but it is a pretty great tool and a good indicator of how many libraries have your book(s) in their stacks.

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