When I was a child, the library was a magical place, where there were more books than I could ever hope to read. I love the smell of a building full of books, the quiet ambience, the ability to try reading new subjects without a commitment to buy. I have librarians in the family and I toyed with the idea of becoming one before I headed off to the art education field. My guess is if you read this blog, you love libraries too. Since we’ve been discussing “Free” and “Nearly Free” marketing for books, let’s add libraries to the list.

Writing Tip For Today: Getting a library to add a book isn’t difficult. I once went to my local branch and filled out a form to get a copy of a novel I liked added to the collection. The library did purchase the book. Now, I’m going to do the same thing for my own work, with a few adjustments. First, I’m going to be personal. Instead of submittiing a form, I’ll try to meet with the librarian who buys books (acquisitions). Putting a request with a face will help the librarian remember my book better than any form. Then, I may ask the local contact to suggest other librarians who might be interested in buying my book for their collections. The circle grows wider with each contact made. If I’m as successful as I think I can be, I’ll put a I (heart) libraries sticker on my bumper.