Book Marketing Tip - Sharing the Word with Libraries

My publisher sent me off this week, off with parcel of books. Copies of 'Gate of Tears' to deliver to my local county library.

In the UK, public libraries are under threat of execution. Many (some reports say 400) are seriously threatened because of cuts in public expenditure. Book acquisitions are being cut.

'You're a new product' my publisher says. You need to build a readership. Fair enough. Free samples. Just like a new soft drink or chocolate bar. Hmmm.

But then I got to thinking. Maybe he's right, and building a following is important (ok, that's a no-brainer). Every free sample chocolate bar gets eaten once, but each library copy may be loaned and read 50 times - now that's leverage. I was starting to taste the chocolate!

So, let's start unwrapping the bar. There are payments from the UK Government to registered authors under the Public Lending Right Act 1979, too, currently at a rate of about 6 pence (9 US cents) per loan.

James Patterson's books are borrowed about 1.5 million times a year in the UK. Tasty. Building a brand, creating demand.

So, the plan was to donate some copies of 'Gate of Tears' to the libraries in my local county. Emails were exchanged - they were keen to have the copies. My publisher, eZeeBooks , included some customised posters and a bunch of bookmarks.

Just one aspect of book marketing, and because they were donated without charge, they were helping my local libraries. Books wear out, and new stock has to be acquired with shrinking budgets. Good thinking, glad to help.

One small seed cast on a prairie.  I do hope it was not a chocolate wrapper and a field of stones.