By Erica, a guest blogger from Random House’s Library Marketing Department
Librarians perform a service for patrons referred to as Readers’ Advisory. This is when they receive requests to recommend a book or author who might be of interest to a patron’s particular reading tastes. This can be quite a challenge! But a skilled librarian is able to maintain a working knowledge of the popular authors and their read-alikes in any given genre or subgenre. For example, if you enjoy anything written by Mary Balogh, then Eloisa James is another author to whom you will be introduced. Or if you decide that you would prefer a title with a bit more heat, a librarian may hand you a copy of an Anna Campbell title.
How do librarians remain knowledgeable of all the latest and greatest in the romance genre?
They read reviews! Reviews are of the utmost importance in helping librarians in their purchasing and reader’s advisory decisions. Booklist and Library Journal are the industry leaders. But Romance Writers of America, blogs and webliographies are also crucial.
Librarians don’t shy away from the mass market binding. In their collections, mass market is like candy. Those titles receive some of the highest circulation numbers and the librarians stand at the ready with their reorders. They understand that their patrons perusing these collections are voracious readers of their preferred genre/subgenre.
Be conscious of the proliferation of audio and e-books. Overdrive® is the largest provider of e-books for libraries in the US. Overdrive’s most downloaded e-books Adult Fiction list is largely made up of romance novels.
Did you know that RWA has a Librarian of the Year award?
I was also very impressed to discover The Romance Writers of America Library Grant – presented by the Public Library Association and the Romance Writers of America. The Romance Writers of America Library Grant is designed to provide a public library the opportunity to build or expand its romance fiction collection and/or host romance fiction programming. The grant consists of $4,500 to be used toward the purchase of romance fiction, author honorariums and travel expenses, and other applicable program expenses.
Have you seen the BOOKLIST WEBINAR on romance?
Click here to watch “Sweet Talk: Romance Fiction in the Library” (11/12/09), featuring a discussion of the state of the genre—in public libraries and in the marketplace. Sponsored by HarperCollins Publishers, Books on Tape and Listening Library (Random House), and Romance Writers of America.
Erica will be checking in throughout the day, so please let her know if you have any questions!
Erica is an Associate Manger with Random House’s Adult Library Marketing Group. In May, she will graduate from Pratt’s School of Library Science! To learn more about the Random House Library Marketing Group, visit www.randomhouselibrary.com and check out their blog.
Thanks, Erica, for this great information. I’ve always wondered how the whole library thing worked – I’m glad to have a better understanding of it now!
The library market is often misunderstood. The sales potential is far beyond the concept of one single copy of a title being read by many. Libraries provide a steady stream of non-returnable book orders and reorders! And when authors appear at a library event, book sales are the result.
Erica rocks! Libraries rock! Sarah rocks, for hosting a great blog topic!
I love libraries, obviously – I have worked for many years as a public librarian. And now as a recent debut author, I hear from readers all the time who found one of my books in their library and have gone on to purchase others in the series. Libraries are an awesome way to grow readership, and I’m so glad that my publisher (Random House, you know!) has a whole department dedicated to Library Services.
This has nothing to do with the publishers, but one thing that has always frustrated me as a librarian, library patron, and now author, is that so many libraries still do not fully catalog their romance paperbacks. For example, my own public library owns several copies of my books – but they aren’t searchable by author’s name, only title, and thus they don’t show up in WorldCat. According to WorldCat (metacatalog of libraries all over the world), there are copies of Goddess of the Hunt in something like 391 libraries – but I’m sure that number is actually much higher, because of libraries like mine that don’t catalog.
Erica, best of luck as you finish up your degree!
Awesome information! Tessa brought up a huge pet peeve of mine when it comes to libraries. I’ve been able to search for an author’s name at my library, but they are hard to find on the shelves, or on the turn-about-thingy-majig (lol I’m sure there is a name). There is no rhyme or reason beyond the color coded sticker on the spines. And you would think that if romances bring about bigger circulation numbers, they’d make a bigger effort in their cataloging techniques.
Now my mind is spinning on how to get our library to bring romance out of the back corner.
Erica, what kinds of things does your job entail?
I don’t know what I’d do without my library! I’m there at least once a week and I count the librarians as my friends. When I was home schooling, it was an endless supply of curriculum materials, and always a source of research and reading pleasure for me, my daughter, and now my granddaughter. Libraries have play areas for the kids, wireless internet and computers, and tons of activities and book clubs for every age.
I’ve found scores of new authors to read, audio books for the endless hours I spend in the car, and with our state’s Marina system, I can get books from all over Maryland. I think there are few more valuable resources in a community than a good public library.
As an aspiring author, someday I want my books in libraries everywhere! I want people to be able to try my books and find my backlist. It’s interesting to me to know how libraries decide how to spend their money.
So reviews are crucial in getting a debut author’s book into libraries? I always thought it had more to do with publisher clout. How hard is it to get a review in one of these publications?
Wonderful blog! I’ll look forward to watching Sweet Talk as soon as I’m someplace besides home with my dialup. Thanks, Erica and Sarah!
Oh, and Tessa, you’re books are cataloged in our library system.
Hi Sarah! Hi Erica! What a fascinating interview! As a certified bookish type, I’ve always been a library junkie. LOVE libraries. Many authors I discovered in libraries became auto buys for me. And hey, how cool that you went from Mary Balogh to Eloisa James to ME! Now that’s certainly company I like to be seen in. Thank you!
My head is swimming with the excitement to have two authors I have read & loved comment on my blog post! I owe you, Sarah!
My department creates advertising and promotional materials like brochures and catalogs specifically for the library market. Our main contacts are the collection development specialists within library systems, whose responsibilities include book purchases.
We travel to several national and state librarian conferences each year. Every state has a library association, which welcomes authors as speakers!
I also help to coordinate author appearances at libraries and conferences. Libraries should never be left off of any book tour! They often partner with a local bookstore, or purchase copies for an event themselves through wholesalers.
In the past few years, we’ve increased our presence online through blogs, twitter, facebook, etc.
Congratulations to Tessa Dare for GODDESS OF THE HUNT being shortlisted on RUSA’s The Reading List for the Romance genre!!
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/awards/readinglist/index.cfm
Established in 2007 by the CODES section of RUSA, The Reading List seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction that merit special attention by general adult readers and the librarians who work with them.
Hi, Erica.
Thanks for sharing this information. As an English teacher, I rely on my librarian almost every day.
You said you rely on reviews for the information you share with patrons. Have you discovered a way to determine if a book might still be good even if it’s received a bad review or do you find that reviews from these very well-respected sources are usually right? I’d be so tempted to feel like I needed to read something before I could recommend it. Do you ever feel that way?
I’d love to hear more about your day-to-day activities. And congratulations on your degree.
Thanks again for sharing your experience with us.
Bryn
Erica,
Many authors, though they love libraries themselves, don’t understand the power of libraries to create book addicts! Just as several of your posts have said, readers find a book they love in the library, and then buy others, creating a demand for the author’s back list. I have spoken at Librarians conferences about romance (and why depending on donations for your romance section only means that you’ll never have the books readers really love in stock–those stay home on the keeper shelf!). But I also love talking to Friends of the Library meetings. We have to support our libraries: anything that creates readers is all to the good. I also think that Library Journal and Booklist both provide cogent and thoughtful reviews that also tell librarians what type of reader will enjoy that book. Very useful. Thanks for the post, Erica… Libraries forever.
Susan
I’ve lived in 9 different states. The first stop after I update my driver’s license is the public library. I find new favorite authors and used the reference section for my research. (Reference librarians have been known to cringe as I approach! LOL!)
A library is a treasure.
Thank you Erica for sharing your insights into the wonderful world of libraries! And thanks to everyone who stopped by with questions, or simply to share their thoughts on libraries.
I’ll feature another guest blogger in February, more details to come soon:)
I know I’m late, just wanted to tell you that it was a great blog. I haven’t been in a library in ages, I miss them.
I wish there was an online one for foreign resident types. 
Tks for the info Erica and Sarah!!!
I have been so frustrated with my local library. What they carry of Romance is either paperbacks stuffed together on a shelf with no specific listing so you can’t find anything specific except by chance, or established authors mixed into the stacks with the mainstream and no indication that the books are actually Romance.