If you haven’t heard, libraries are now excepting self-published ebooks. This is exciting news. The only problem is if you submit through the Library Journal you are giving away your book for free. Over at Build Book Buzz there is a conversation about what options authors have. This article is worth investigating.
Journal of Library Administration (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Should you sign up for SELF-e from Library Journal?
An author contacted me recently for advice on a simple question: “Should I enroll my book in the new SELF-e Select program offered by Library Journal?”
SELF-e Select curates self-published/indie books for libraries so that librarians know which books are worth adding to their lending collections. Here are a few links with more information:
- Library Journal‘s press release announcing the program
- The SELF-e FAQ page explaining that even if your book isn’t selected as one that gets recommended, you can still add it to a statewide database of available self-published books
- A guest blog post by publishing consultant Porter Anderson with specifics on the program, which Anderson is paid to promote
The author who contacted me was debating what to do because authors aren’t paid for self-published books that libraries select through the SELF-e program.
Should you offer your book to libraries for free?
Here’s what I told her.
Because authors aren’t paid for books selected, SELF-e seems like an option for an author with a backlist. READ MORE HERE.
The Neophyte Writer 