When my Jeff Resnick series was published, I was really proud that so many libraries in the Buffalo, NY area carried the books. Of course the books are SET in Buffalo, NY -- so that helped.
So I was puzzled when not one library in Buffalo carried my Booktown Mysteries. Oh, I know that a lot of library systems don't catalog paperback books, and the series is in paperback. But I looked up other cozy mystery authors on the website for the Buffalo Erie County Library System, and their books are there.
Did I offend the acquisition librarians in Buffalo? I mean, I've sent them a postcard for every book in the series (and for A Crafty Killing, too. It's not there, either). And they haven't purchased the other two books in my Jeff Resnick series, either. : (
I know I have at least three readers in the greater Buffalo area because they've signed up for my newsletter. I can thank Barnes & Noble for the only readers I have in the Buffalo area. (THANK YOU, BARNES & NOBLE!!!)
But for some reason I can't seem to make a crack with the acquisition librarians.
I know there are other libraries in big cities that don't have the books, either--but for some reason I feel hurt that the Buffalo libraries have snubbed Tricia and Angelica. (And Katie, too.) They embraced Jeff (in hardcover--but not trade paperback). I just don't get it.
So, the question is, should I throw away money by sending all the libraries a postcard for Sentenced to Death?
What do you think?
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As a reader of your books, former librarian, and editor of nonfiction, I think that the postcards are probably getting lost among the other catalogs and ads. Librarians get a ton of promotional materials, and with such terrible budgets and lack of staff to spend "off-desk" time going through the ads, they are ordering books on a triage system. Either patrons need to request your books, or you need to be a Stephen King or Nora Roberts type author for them to automatically purchase new titles.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about offering to do an author event for them? This will bring you to their attention and maybe get your new books ordered automatically from now on. I'd try to find the head programming librarian, or head acquisitions librarian in the Buffalo County system, and call and connect with him or her. If you do a reading from your newest book, they may go back and order the others in anticipation of your visit.
I hope this helps!!
I'll agree about the postcard. I get stacks of catalogs and promotional mailings. It's easy for a postcard to get lost in the shuffle. My suggestion? If you have any contact with someone in the Buffalo area, have that person go to the library and request one or more of your books. At my library, we do try our best to honor patron requests. That's especially important when it comes to paperbacks, because some of our patron can't (vision problems) or won't read paperbacks. Something else to keep in mind when you're looking at a library's catalog: a lot of times the paperbacks we get are donations. At my library we buy a few paperbacks, but many we cull from donated books.
ReplyDeleteAlso, "Acquisitions Librarian" is a pretty nebulous term at times. It depends on how the library is set up and who does the actual selecting. There may be one person who does it all or it may be done by committee or different people may be responsible for different areas (paperbacks or science fiction or children's or whatever.)
Looking at the Buffalo website, it appears that each branch may do its own selection. Hmmm. If I were you, I think rather than a postcard, I might try donating a couple of titles to Central, though I would email the librarian first and make sure that's okay. Send links to reviews to let them know you are an established author with several books to your credit. The strategy here is to get your name and a book in the system. Usually, branches will loan books back and forth. If patrons discover a title and like it, they're more prone to request other titles by that author and librarians are more apt to buy for demand.
HTH, Jeanne
(didn't you used to write McCoy fanfiction?)
Wow. What terrific a idea! I'd take kintseashore's idea and run with it. A "Meet the Author" night in as many of their branches could help them as well as you.
ReplyDeleteYou also might want to personally contact the Living editor (or whatever the section is that focuses on entertainment/books/TV/etc. in the local papers) and tell him/her about your latest book. Offer yourself as a local success story. Throw in the fact that even though you're a best-selling author the local libraries aren't supporting this success, possibly because of funding cutbacks. Milk it as a story they could focus on one of two ways -- Local Author Success and/or Funding Cuts Detrimental to Local Patrons.
BTW -- I'd forget about those postcards, unless you deliver them in person!
Well, Buffalo is 90 minutes away from me, so scheduling a bunch of events isn't cost effective or more important TIME effect for me. I did a bunch of events there when the first Jeff Resnick book came out and it, too, proved to be pretty useless for selling books. I believe the only reason the libraries bought the books was because I sent them letters and mentioned they were set in the area.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why so many other cozy series have been purchased by the system, but not mine.
I agree that librarians are so overworked with the understaffing that they don't have a lot of time or money to "shop" like they used to. I think that they either have to like to personally read you books or they have to have patrons who are requesting your books in order for them to make the cut. Unfortunately, the only way to get that to happen is to connect with the readers you have in the area as well as get new readers there (which is what a book reading will do). And 90 minutes may seem like a long way for you, but living in the Denver metro area, that's a piece of cake if you can get a few readers out of the deal. :)
ReplyDeleteMost libraries probably do not order mass market paperbacks, so your turn to hardcover may be beneficial. And you yourself admit the Jeff books have a relatively small readership. I would not take it personally and certainly would not blame the librarians. Acquisitions are a nuanced affair in the best of circumstances. Now no more fretting! Write us some more awesome books. We adore you and EVERTHING you write.
ReplyDelete