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<\/em>?”<\/p>\n

SELF-e Select\u00a0curates self-published\/indie books for libraries so that librarians\u00a0know which books are worth adding to their lending collections.\u00a0Here are a few links with more information:<\/p>\n

\n
• Library Journal<\/em>‘s press release<\/a> announcing the program<\/li>\n
• The SELF-e FAQ page<\/a>\u00a0explaining that even if your book isn’t selected as one\u00a0that gets recommended, you can still add it to a statewide database of available self-published books<\/li>\n
• A guest blog post by publishing consultant Porter Anderson<\/a>\u00a0with specifics on the\u00a0program, which Anderson is paid to promote<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  The author who contacted me\u00a0was debating what to do because authors aren’t paid for self-published books that libraries select through the SELF-e program.<\/p>\n

  Should\u00a0you offer your book to libraries for free?<\/h3>\n

  Here’s what I told her.<\/p>\n

  Because authors aren’t paid for books selected, SELF-e seems like an option\u00a0for an author with a backlist.<\/p>\n

  Applying the strategy for e-book giveaways (be sure to read the comments on one of our most popular guest blog posts, “Why you shouldn’t give your book away<\/a>“), offer your first book\u00a0free to libraries only after you have four\u00a0or five published already. Once\u00a0readers sample your work, they are more likely to buy more of what you write or ask libraries to carry your subsequent books because they’ll know what they’re getting.<\/p>\n

  With the “no royalty” option limited to your first book and demand for subsequent books you’ve written increasing, libraries are more likely to buy subsequent books through the only channel you’ve made available for those books — the one that pays you a royalty.<\/p>\n

  Options for selling to libraries<\/h3>\n

  If the no-royalty option isn’t a good fit for your book, you’ve got other ways to get into libraries.<\/p>\n

  ebooksareforever <\/a>is a new service that charges libraries the same price that you charge consumers. The site says that\u00a0libraries will own the e-books they buy\u00a0and will have\u00a0easy access to as many copies as they need so more than one patron can borrow a title at the same time.<\/p>\n

  Three\u00a0things to note:<\/p>\n

  \n
  1. This service is still in beta mode, so rules and procedures could change.<\/li>\n
  2. Once you register on the site as an author, the company “will review your books and back catalog, and promptly approve or deny your application.” (After applying five days ago, I still haven’t heard from them about\u00a0mine.)<\/li>\n
  3. Authors are paid a 70 percent royalty.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     Simply put, just because you want to use this service to get your e-book into libraries doesn’t mean you can.<\/p>\n

     There’s\u00a0a do-it-yourself option, too. I’ve taken\u00a0Elaine Wilke’s e-course that teaches you\u00a0“How to Get Your Book and E-Books into Libraries<\/a>” and particularly like that it includes a database of U.S. public libraries, but the insider tips from librarians are really helpful, too. My affiliate link at Udemy<\/a> will\u00a0save you $30 on the course fee and get you free access to Elaine’s other course, “Let Siri Save Time, Boost Productivity & Keep You Organized<\/a>” (regular price $39).<\/p>\n

     (Pro tip from Elaine’s DIY course:\u00a0Librarians like it when you\u2019ve got some buzz going for your book. That includes reviews <\/a>and media interviews<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

     <\/a>What’s the best move for you?<\/h3>\n

     In the end, it all comes down to your goals. Do you need to earn money from the\u00a0book to help pay off publishing expenses? Do you \u00a0want to build a fan base for subsequent books? Will getting it to as many readers as possible boost your speaking or consulting career?<\/p>\n

     Always take your goals — and nobody else’s — into account when making book marketing decisions. Blindly doing what another author is doing<\/a> without thinking about what’s best for you and your future could take you in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n

     And that’s what I told the author who contacted me to take into account before she made a decision. Only she knows the answer to the question: “What will help you reach your goals for this book?”<\/p>\n

     Do you want to get your book into libraries? Why or why not? Please share your thoughts in a comment.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

     <\/a><\/p>\n

     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<\/em>?”<\/p>\n

     SELF-e Select\u00a0curates self-published\/indie books for libraries so that librarians\u00a0know which books are worth adding to their lending collections.\u00a0Here are a few links with more information:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":20090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[145,20,11,12],"tags":[606,607,608,609,403,352],"class_list":["post-7255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-events","category-news","category-tactics","category-tools","tag-libraries","tag-library-journal","tag-self-e","tag-self-e-select","tag-self-published","tag-selling-to-libraries"],"yoast_head":"\n