I listened to a webinar the other evening about selling to libraries. It was extremely interesting. The presenters talked about reaching out to the person in the library that handles acquisitions. About how they would provide a template for emails to this person. How difficult and costly it was to purchase the list of libraries around the country. in the end the promoted a course that would teach you what you had to do and provide you with the list of libraries and the template for the e-mails. It sounded wonderful. I could make eight times the royalty selling to libraries. Believe me I could use the money. At the very end they mentioned the cost of this wonderful special course for authors who wanted to get their book into the library system. The cost was almost $500. I don't have that amount just laying around.
What could I do? The very next day I went to my old computer, still running Windows 7, and googled Florida Libraries. You would not believe how many libraries were listed with address and phone numbers, right there for free. I love free. The presenter said the list alone cost several hundred dollars. Then I googled the libraries that might be interested in my new book, It's set in the Myakka/Arcadia area of Florida. I tried the Sarasota County Library first. I wrote them a very nice email telling them about my book, I'm a local author and went on about how their readers would love to know about rural Florida and how much the readers would like the story line. A day later I got an email that they bought three copies of my new book Honey Tree Farm. Yeah!!! Spurred on by my accomplishment I emailed the Manatee County Library system. You guessed it they bought two copies of my new novel. I have two other novels that are set in New England, Broken Branches and Bottle Alley. I did e-mail libraries there but nothing happened - yet. Since I have phone numbers I'll call them and ask who is in charge of your new acquisitions. My first email might not have gone to the right place but I plan on following up with a phone call. You can sell to libraries. You just have to work at it.
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AuthorFrom the active mind of Brenda M. Spalding Archives
February 2020
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