Julie Broad (Book Launchers) explains how indie authors can get their books into libraries to increase long-term readership and credibility. She covers necessary setup (ISBNs, distribution via IngramSpark/PublishDrive/Draft2Digital), the importance of professional editing, covers and metadata (BISAC codes, sell sheets), outreach tactics (start local, build relationships with acquisitions librarians, time outreach to fiscal cycles), and growing opportunities in digital lending (OverDrive, Hoopla, audiobooks). She also notes public lending rights (PLR) programs in countries like the UK, Canada and Australia as additional author income sources.
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It's the dream of so many authors getting your book into libraries to reach readers everywhere even, and sometimes especially the ones that maybe wouldn't have bought your book otherwise. Have you ever wondered how to get your book into libraries worldwide? Well, if you have, this video is for you.
Hey there. I'm Julie the book broad, founder of Book Launchers, a self publishing services company. Also the four time author. Two of those books are right there. And your host of this channel, Book Launchers TV and a new channel, no boring book reviews. Libraries are not just for borrowing books. Libraries are hubs for avid readers. Did you know that library patrons buy three times as many books as non patrons? When you get your book into the library, you're now reaching a reader that maybe wouldn't have found you before. And if you have more than one book or you have other ways to support the reader, well, you may have unlocked a lovely lifetime relationship with someone. Now this is not a nonfiction example, but my son and I frequent the local library in Las Vegas. We are always on the lookout for new things to read. And we discovered this book called Origami Yoda. We brought it home, read it, built our own Origami Yodas, and the next thing you know, my son wants to read the whole series. I went to Barnes and Noble, but they don't carry it so I had to order it from them online. And now the author of that book, actually the publisher has two books sold that came right after the first borrowed book. Yeah, that's right. Getting into libraries isn't about short term profits, it's about long term exposure, credibility and growing your fan base. Additionally, if you have a clear call to action or CTA on the inside flap of your book like I do, you may even find your library patrons signing up for your newsletter. So now you're excited and you just want to know how to do it and how much it will cost. Well, what does it actually cost to get your book into libraries? Well, first you need an ISBN, which only one of them in the US costs $125 if you buy it individually. I don't recommend you do that though. I recommend you buy packages because they don't expire. And I think it's 3 for $300 for example, but 10 is even less on a per ISBN basis. Head over to my identifiers, which is run by Bowker to find out you got the ISBN. Then there's distribution. Well, you can actually get set up on IngramSpark for free now and on Publish Drive. Your first book is also free with Draft 2 Digital. There's a per book sold charge, so there's fees, but they aren't that big. Not really any cost to get distribution. Now I do recommend you create a polished sell sheet which could cost you up to $300 if you hire a designer because you really want to put your professional forward if you're going to approach libraries to carry your book. Now, your sell sheet, it should look something like this by the way, in case you're going Sell sheet? What's she talking about? Well, this is one. Now as you can see, it has metadata, contact info, a short description of the book, social media of the author, and a testimonial for credibility. But here's how to make your book irresistible to librarians who, remember, are the ultimate book lovers. I mean they have chosen to to spend their lives surrounded in books. Quality matters a lot. Number one, let's focus on some professionalism. Your book must look and read like a traditionally published book. That means professional editing and a killer cover. If you haven't paid at least one and probably two different editors to meticulously go through your book, don't take it to a library to sell it. Second thing is metadata. Use accurate bisect codes, compelling keywords and and a genre appropriate subtitle to make your book discoverable in library listening. Like I said, create that sell sheet that includes your book's title, your ISBN, target audience, comparable titles and marketing plans. Now if you're emailing them, don't send attachments, use a landing page. Now to put this another way, let's avoid the mistakes that a lot of authors make if you want to have your book in the libraries. One of the mistakes, skipping that ISBN. You need to have an ISBN. Two, ignoring the distribution platforms. Libraries buy through distributors like Overdrive, Hoopla, ingramspark and they don't typically buy from you. Now that said, I've actually had three different libraries pay me cash for my books when I was there doing an event. It's been some years since that happened, but they were happy to purchase the book from me on the spot and list it. That's not the typical avenue though. So to get your book listed in the library systems, they usually are going to order it from certain places. Now they will buy from Amazon as Amazon isn't a competitor. Which means your Amazon page better be all sparkly and ready to sell and appeal to that librarian. The next mistake is undervaluing the COVID Librarians are busy and they will absolutely judge a book by its cover. A weak to sign Instant rejection. All right. Another mistake is not building a relationship. Librarians and libraries prefer authors who are actively involved in the library's success. That's why they love local angles for authors, as well as someone who wants to come in and contribute to their community with a reading or an event of some kind, and that they're going to help by spreading the word to their friends and family in the community. If you've never set foot in a library and then you want to go do events at libraries, you have a knowledge gap and you should fill that gap before you start pitching libraries. Now, of course, seeing your book on the shelf, whether it's a bookstore or a library, or on the back of someone's videos. By the way, I love when I tune into my friend Dale L. Roberts videos because he often has either some of our noboringbooks swag or one of my books in his background. But you also might see books in the background of my videos and they are always featured book launchers authors. So some of our authors will tune into the videos and see their work on display behind me. But here's the golden nugget for indie authors. Digital platforms are booming in libraries. Platforms like Overdrive and Hoopla are thriving, and audiobooks are skyrocketing in popularity, sometimes taking up 30% of a library's budget. Digital lending is alive and well in libraries, and it works in two models. One copy, one user. Libraries buy a digital copy and only one user can borrow it at a time or a cost per checkout. You get paid per loan, giving you exposure to multiple readers at once. The digital model can get you paid a lot better than a library buying one copy of your physical book and lending it out 50 times. And guess what? The demand for indie ebooks and audiobooks is growing as big publishers are pricing themselves out of that market. So now you've got a book where you've invested in this quality editing and design and you have the right sell sheet, a great author website, and your book is set up for distribution with accurate metadata. How do you approach those libraries? Well, I already gave you this answer if you were paying attention and taking notes like I know some of you do. Start local. Visit your community library, find the acquisitions librarian and introduce yourself. Timing is key. Libraries often make bulk purchases during their fiscal year end or start, typically April to July. And please, no, don't just drop off a stack of books at the front desk. Build relationships. Librarians are book lovers and influencers who can champion your work. And in general, they are really nice people Again, if you haven't hung out at a library before, I highly recommend it so you feel more comfortable when you start approaching libraries to carry your book. Once your book is in one library, expand Leverage reviews, events and social media to build buzz. Encourage fans to request your book at their local library because that demand can lead to more purchases. Oh, and don't forget about the public lending rights plr. This program compensates authors for library loans in countries like the uk, Canada and Australia. Check if you're eligible and register. Because you have to register, PLR compensates authors and rights holders every time their books are borrowed from a library. Depending on the country, payments are either calculated per loan or based on the number of copies the library holds. In Canada, for instance, payments are made based on how many copies of your book libraries own. While in the UK you're paid per loan, so if your book becomes a local favorite, those checkouts translate directly into income. PLR is funded by governments, not library budgets, so there's no conflict for librarians. When adding your book to this and registering for your PLR is simple, just visit your country's PLR program website, fill out the application, register each book, including ebooks and audiobooks. Libraries are your partners in building long term success as an author, so take the steps we've discussed today, avoid the pitfalls and watch your readership grow worldwide. If you want more insights, check out the Guide from Alliance of Independent Authors on this topic. It is packed with actionable tips and strategies. And don't forget to subscribe here at BookLaunchers TV for more nonfiction author strategies. Let's get your book where it belongs into the hands of eager readers now. If you're wondering what bisect codes are, this video is for you. And if you're wondering about ISBNs and other metadata, this video is for you. Go ahead, click on over. I'll see you there.
