The librarian is your friend, and as a lover of books, he wants to help but is literally under piles of books and usually with a full plate of public service time and little time to read. The library is a great place to put yourself and your books on display, while at the same time helping the librarians by giving your time reading and signing books or offering a writing workshop or group that will benefit their patrons. Ask if you can donate a copy of your book for a giveaway – sometimes during the summer, libraries offer giveaways for patrons who participate in their summer reading programs, which is for all ages. Even if patrons don’t win your book, if they are interested, they can check out the library copy (because you already donated one for the library shelves, didn’t you?) and just might leave a review. Or love it so much they buy it for themselves or as a gift for someone they love.
Here’s the thing: we all have giveaways, right? We give a book to a single reader in those giveaways, and hope that they will love it, leave a review, and influence others to buy it. When you give your book to the library and it goes on their shelf, it belongs to thousands of readers, so obviously the chances of getting reviews and sales is even greater.
Beyond sales and reviews, making friends with your local librarian just makes sense. He or she is a book fanatic just like you, and loves to talk about books, hear about books, and pet books. Again, just like you. Librarians have the ability to talk your books up to patrons, go to the shelf and take your book to put in a patron’s hands, and promote your book through book talks and displays. When you go to your library take a look around and see if there is anything seasonal, bulletin boards with decorations, or books featured on top of shelves or on racks. Those don’t happen randomly. Someone takes the time to choose a theme or genre and work with that to create a display, and if the librarian thinks, oh yeah, that author who stopped by yesterday had a cool book that would be perfect right here where everyone who walks in the front door can see it, well, there’s another way your book can get attention.
What are you waiting for? Find your local library’s website and start digging. And don’t forget – libraries need publicity, too, so if your books end up on their shelves, displays, or in a giveaway, take photos and post them on social media. Library patrons and donors will find you that way as well, and the librarians will remember you the next time you stop by with a new book to share.
Your Local Librarian: A Powerful Partner Continued...