Libraries Help Indie Authors and Their Communities
“The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library,”
Albert Einstein
Libraries Help Authors and the Community
Libraries support readers in more ways than most people realize. When someone asks their library to carry a book, it does not just help the author by buying their book. It also gives families in that community access to stories and information they might not be able to afford or even know about yet.
Libraries have eBooks, Audiobooks and Print
All formats of books can be found in the library. Some readers love holding a book in their hands. Others prefer borrowing titles through their library’s digital collection. Every format request tells the library that this book has value for the people it serves, and libraries respond to those signals when deciding what to order.
Having so many different formats available without cost to borrow helps your books find new readers in ways that traditional advertising wouldn't ever reach.
Libraries Spotlight Local Authors
Once your book is in the library's collection as an indie author that is a great way to offer to come in for a reading or a meet the author day. Often libraries will have a section in the library just for local authors or illustrators and this is a fantastic way for your community to notice you without having to pay for special signs in the bookstores. Also libraries have their own newsletters, social media accounts and events at the library to so be featured there is a fantastic level of marketing that will grow your audience in a truly organic way.
Niche Books
Let's face it, not every reader will want or need a book about weaning from breastfeeding. That is completely natural. But someone in your community is nursing their baby right now and may be looking for support. Books like Bye-Bye, Boobies can be passed along through a library system to help mothers with limited budgets, new parents adjusting to life with a baby, and families who might not have access to lactation support where they live.
Budget to Buy Books
Books are expensive to produce, especially print on demand that we use. POD makes it possible for indie authors to publish without warehouses or large print runs, but it also means the cost per book is higher than mass market publishing. Libraries are one of the few places that can help close that gap because they purchase copies that anyone can borrow.
What Print-On-Demand (POD) Means and Why We Use It
Libraries are More Than a Place to Borrow Books
Libraries also do far more than lend books. Many offer free classes, story times, local author events, community programs, quiet study rooms, free computer use, and even early literacy support.
When a library adds a book by an indie author, it becomes part of a wider network of resources that strengthen the entire community. The book may reach new parents, educators, childcare providers, or grandparents who would never have found it on a store shelf.
How You Can Help Libraries Help Indie Authors
Requesting Books
For readers who want to support indie authors directly, requesting a book is one of the simplest ways to help. All you need is a library card and a few minutes of time to fill in a form. Since libraries have collection budgets specifically for buying materials that serve their communities, a single request can lead to both print and digital copies being added to the system, allowing families to access the book for years.
Libraries Collections Help with PLR programs
In Canada, authors editors, translators and illustrators and other creators receive annual payments when their registered books are found on public library shelves. Public Lending Right (PLR) programs around the world acknowledge how important it is to keep authors writing and to keep diverse voices available to readers. Even one request contributes to that chain.
If you would like to request our books for your community, you can find everything you need on our Libraries page, including ISBNs for both print and eBook editions. If you have a book that you've read from another indie author, take a few moments and send a request to your local library today - you should be able to find the ISBN on the copyright page of the book.
Thank you for helping build stronger libraries and stronger communities.
