love your library

LOVE YOUR LIBRARYLibrarians and Authors in a New Publishing Era

LOVE YOUR LIBRARY

Laura Florand: AuthorJennifer Lohmann: RWA Librarian of Year, Author

Author

Still including, even though she'd not coming? I'm fine either way.

Laura Florand, lauraflorand.com; Jennifer Lohmann, jenniferlohmann.com

THIS SESSION WILL INCLUDE…• Introduction to current issues

• Discussion

• Examples of successful library-author cooperation

• Best practices


CURRENT ISSUES• Ebooks

• Self-publishing

• Funding

• General shift to online connection with readership from author’s point of view (are libraries being forgotten?)

• Ebooks

• Self-publishing


So what?Does this matter?


YOU TELL US• 72% of all Americans >16 have either used a public library in the

past 12 months or live in a household where another family member or a child is an active recent user of the library.

• 9,294 public libraries in the U.S., almost half of them in rural areas where internet services can be limited

• Medium-sized Durham Co Library in 2013:– Served 279,641 people

– Had 3,195,976 checkouts + 37,590 e-books loaned

– Offered 1,444 adult programs with attendance of 16,240

– Circulated 59,914 romance books


Questions to considerFor Librarians

• What do you think you offer authors in terms of building a readership that they can’t get from Amazon or a bookstore?

• What is important to you when working with authors? What would your ideal author interaction be?

• What would it take for you to buy a self-published book, compared to a traditionally published book?

• What effect has the rise in e-books and self-publishing had on your library?

For Authors

• What do you wish you knew about getting your books in libraries?

• What is important to you in order to do more programs?

• What are your ideas for how librarians can make author programs more successful?

• What value do you think libraries and authors can have for each other? Is this value different for traditional and self-published authors?

• What effect has the rise in e-books and self-publishing had on your relationship with libraries?

IDEAS?GROUP FOLLOW-UP


Should authors be involved in libraries? Why?• Yes, definitely, because you have automatic rabid readers there waiting for you and a lot of them.

• The library is a second home. It’s a good way for people to try a new author.

• Not everyone has kindles and different kinds of e-readers.

• As retail spaces are shrinking, libraries have shelf space and display areas to display your product.

• As an author it’s another avenue of community service when you reach out to your local library. You give back to community.

• The librarians are the ones who recommend books to our voracious readers.

• Librarians like bookmarks to handout.

• The midlist and the backlist have a home in libraries, unlike bookstores that have only the newest and classics.

• A good idea is something that has been borrowed from retailers—take seasonal events, present them to the scheduler at your library. Example: Valentine’s Day authors signing books for gifts. Mother’s Day. June for the brides.

• Done a number of talks in inner cities where some people wouldn’t be able to read if not for the public library due to socio-economic reasons.


SHOULD AUTHORS BE INVOLVED IN LIBRARIES?

• Raise readers (and authors)

• Develop a community of readers

• Form a bastion of often-dismissed readership (you’re always online, the whole world isn’t)

• Further book discovery

• And yes, contribute to sales!

YES! LIBRARI

ES

SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR-LIBRARY COLLABORATION

MAXIMIZING POTENTIAL


How can authors & libraries maximize the potential of their collaborations?• We discussed the reoccurring programs with more than one

author. Annual/semi-annual event. If it recurs, authors will tell other authors and readers will get used to it happening and your audience grows.

• The multi-author programs increasing the exposure of an author to a reader who discovers them. Being able to meet the author.

• Slip in a romance author into events when no one expects them to be there (literary events)

• In book clubs, pick a subgenre or one author that people can read any one of the books in the genre/author

• Multi-author events take the heat off everyone/share the wealth.


AUTHORS CAN…• Make your book available (more later)

• Make contact & be available

• Be courteous & professional

• Respect your reader

• Promote/advertise to your fan base

• Have something interesting to say (NOT JUST YOUR BOOK)

• Provide chocolate


HOW TO GET THERE• Make your books available

– PRINT

– Baker & Taylor

– Ingram

– EBOOK

– Overdrive (Smashwords)

– Growth in other options:

– 3M

– Baker & Taylor

– Library Journal Self-e

– Library-driven platforms


COLLECTION POLICIES OF LIBRARIES•Local interest in an author or subject (e.g. Bigfoot)

• Reviews in “the sources” (Library Journal, PW, Booklist, etc). Other reviews from respected blogs, not only Amazon reviews.

•Patron request

•Past circulation

•Quality of product

•Author events

Libraries want to carry the items their patrons want and libraries want to be able to get them. E-only is a frustration for everyone.


LIBRARIES CAN…• Build interest in the program through personal contact,

displays, etc.

• Create a local fan base of patrons interested in library programming and market to those patrons

• Help the author with topics that appeal to local readers

• Provide outside the box programming and be willing to push the envelope

• Partner with a local bookstore to sell books


PROMOTION MAKES A DIFFERENCE• From May 2010-April 2011, Southwest circulated 11,198

romance, DCL circulated 63,049

• From May 2011-April 2012, Southwest circulated 15,334 romance, DCL circulated 66,303.

11198

51951

15334

50969


ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL EVENTS• Refreshments help

• Don’t schedule against other events (March Madness, etc.)

• Respect your audience

• Use the opportunity for displays, email collection, etc (to help with future events)

• Be prepared with questions

• Communication, so everyone knows what to expect

• Promote!


ADDITIONAL WAYS TO GET INVOLVED• Friends of the Library

• Advocacy (with government, publisher, public)

• Book Club involvement

• Opportunities specific to you (ex: encouraging university/local library collaboration)


IF WISHES WERE HORSES…

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selfpublished authors

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authorjennifer lohmann

librarylaura florand

romance books laura