{"id":2476,"date":"2021-10-05T14:01:50","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T14:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.draft2digital.com\/blog\/?p=2476"},"modified":"2022-07-19T09:28:38","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T14:28:38","slug":"why-every-indie-author-should-care-about-library-distribution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/draft2digital.com\/blog\/why-every-indie-author-should-care-about-library-distribution\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Every Indie Author Should Care About Library Distribution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you think library distribution is out of reach for self-published authors, think again.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Library distribution is one of the most exciting (and relatively new) avenues for indie authors to get their books into the hands of readers worldwide.<\/strong> As far back as 2016, 92% of librarians surveyed by New Shelves Books reported purchasing from self-published authors and small presses. And well before the pandemic hit, our authors saw 133% growth<\/a> in library revenue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This trend benefits both readers and writers. Readers can check out books by new-to-them indie authors for free, and writers can get their books read more widely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019ve put a lot of emphasis on increasing library reach for our self-published authors. We\u2019ve added as many library distribution partners as possible, and extended our authors\u2019 reach to tens of thousands of libraries worldwide (in every country on the planet!). We\u2019ve also helped pioneer a pricing model for library distribution\u2014but we\u2019re getting ahead of ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post will answer our most frequently asked questions<\/strong> about how library distribution works, how you get paid, and why we think every indie author should g<\/strong>et their books into libraries.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does library distribution work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Libraries don\u2019t purchase books directly from authors or publishers the way a bookstore does. You\u2019ll need to use a distributor to get your book into a library vendor catalog. Most libraries operate independently, each playing by its own rules (and according to its own budget), so library distributors aren\u2019t just a necessary go-between. They save you from having to manage relationships with each library independently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Alliance of Independent Authors has a <\/em>great article that goes in-depth on library distribution<\/em><\/a>. We don\u2019t want to reinvent the wheel, so check out that post for even more detail.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do authors get paid?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Libraries use two primary payment models<\/a>: OC\/OU and CPC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OC\/OU payment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

OC\/OU stands for \u201cone copy, one user.\u201d For libraries, it\u2019s the electronic equivalent of purchasing a physical book for loan. A library might buy one copy of your book and then loan that copy to one person at a time. While your book is checked out, no one else can \u201cborrow\u201d it until the original patron has \u201creturned\u201d it. If the library wants to check out more than one copy of your book at once, they\u2019ll have to purchase multiple copies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The typical payment to authors under this model is about three times the list (retail) price. You\u2019ll receive a single payment when the library purchases your title, and that\u2019s it\u2014no matter how many people read it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CPC payment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

CPC stands for \u201ccost per checkout,\u201d also sometimes called \u201csimultaneous use.\u201d (It\u2019s also the royalty structure we helped pioneer!) It allows libraries to check out books to as many patrons as they need to at one time based on demand, without requiring them to purchase multiple copies up-front. Readers get access to the books they want, libraries have a lower up-front cost (meaning they\u2019re more willing to take risks on new authors), and authors get paid based on reader volume\u2014it\u2019s a win-win-win!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the CPC model, payment to authors is usually 1\/10 of the list price per loan. So you\u2019ll get paid less up front, but there\u2019s no limit to what you can earn. If your book is widely read, you\u2019ll earn more with this model than with OC\/OU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CPC and OC\/OU are both enabled by default for Draft2Digital\u2019s library distribution channels. However, if you\u2019d prefer to disable CPC, you can do so by visiting our Library Pricing page<\/a> or Advanced User Options<\/a> on your My Account page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the benefit of library distribution?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of library distribution range far and wide\u2014literally. It\u2019s a great way to get your books into the hands of readers across the globe, many of whom you might not usually reach. It\u2019s also a much easier ask to have people request copies of your book from their local library than to buy from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll get lots of exposure, win over more raving fans, leverage the best free marketing (word of mouth), and earn extra money in the bargain. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides, who among us doesn\u2019t have a soft spot in their heart for their local library?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which library distributors does Draft2Digital work with?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So how do self-published authors get their books into libraries in the first place? By using Draft2Digital, of course! We partner with most major library distributors and are always adding more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We currently partner with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n