Library Science

One of the biggest challenges as an independent writer — at least for me — is getting books into the library system. I have spent hours researching this. There are many companies that offer to do this for me for a large fee. I’ve gone through different procedures for getting included, always to be told, “nope, not big enough.” My book isn’t well known enough. My indie publishing company is too small. I’ve filled out forms. Submitted paperwork. Read articles. Even attended on-line seminars.

Today, driving with my 9 year old daughter, she says, “Mom, I need to talk to the librarian. I need her to order a book from Amazon.”

After a moment, I procesed what she’d said. “From where?”

“From Amazon.”

“Why would you say that?” Thinking hard, trying to remember where my daughter would have learned of Amazon.

“Well, that’s where she told me she gets most of her books these days.”

At this point, we were very lucky that we didn’t get in a wreck, because I was paying much more attention to my daughter.

“Explain this to me.”

She was a little confused as to why Mom was so intense.

“Well, Mom…  you see, these books I like, they aren’t in the library. They aren’t in her normal places, but she knows that kids like them, so she buys them from Amazon. I tell her when a new one comes out.”

I explained to her briefly that this was news to me, although I have heard of librarians doing it, I hadn’t actually HEARD of one who did.

At the end of my explanation she said, “Oh. Well, I guess I should have her order your book, Mom.”

So easy, it takes a child to figure it out.