Use these Hacks to Tap into Libraries and School Audiences

The Department of Education reveals that around 82,300 public schools have a library, and that there are also 9,057 public libraries in the U.S. These libraries are potential sources for selling a book, if you know how to reach them. How can you get your book on the shelves of more brick-and-mortar libraries? Here are a few practical tips. 

Concentrate on your Online Presence 

Decision makers will want to do their research on you, which is why you should first concentrate on your own online presence. If you also offer your book in digital format, this means you will want to ensure you have plenty of positive reviews. Reviews can be especially helpful when targeting schools, who will likely read them to make sure your material is age appropriate. 

Aside from book reviews, you should also focus on your LinkedIn or other social media profiles. Consider hosting a blog or revamping your current one to increase the number of followers. Make sure your blog contains useful information so that you can be seen as an authority in your niche. 

Level your Book

School systems will want to know what reading level your book is. However, this information can also be useful for public libraries, who are trying to help parents choose something appropriate. When self-publishing, you can run some sample text through the Flesch-Kincaid readability checker. Double-check the accuracy by comparing your book to others in the same level. 

Maintain Ties to your Community 

You will probably have more success at local schools and libraries than you will those outside your area. Your odds of success are even greater when you have established ties to your community. One way of doing that is to volunteer with the school or library. Ideally, you should do this before your book is published so that others do not view you as an opportunist. 

Schedule a Meeting 

Contact librarians and ask for an in-person meeting. You'll have more luck if you schedule these meetings in advance rather than just showing up. Librarians are often very busy, and may not have time to talk with you unless they are able to set aside time for doing so. As such, they may view your visit as an interruption rather than a potential partnership.

Keep your meeting short and to the point. Have a few copies you can show, along with a sell sheet that provides all the details about your book. Show them to the library director and ask for a decision.

Follow Up 

You may not receive an answer during your initial meeting. Accordingly, you should always follow up on them just as you would a job interview. Write a thank you note to the director thanking him or her for allowing you to discuss your book. If you haven't heard back in about a month or so, call that person back and ask if there has been any decision. 

Get Other People Talking 

Libraries are more likely to consider your book if they feel there is a demand for it. One way to let them know that there is indeed interest is to get other people talking about it. Ask friends or family members to request your book from their local library or bookstore. Consider hosting a book club featuring your writings or enlisting a close friend to do so. That way, even more people can discover you as an author. 

A recent study revealed that 92% of all librarians claim they regularly purchase books from small presses and self-published authors. Keep the above information in mind and you too might be able to cash in on this very important market. To find out more, please contact us.