How do you get your books into public libraries?

[Beth]

This is amazingly easy for me because my publisher is a library publisher. They produce quality hardcovers specifically made to put up with patron abuse. They send quarterly catalogs to libraries featuring their titles, man booths at library conferences, and have standing order plans with library systems all over the US. So, I concentrate my promotion on bookstore signings and online communications with readers (like those at Goodreads) and leave the library marketing to them.

My publisher also sends Advance Review Copies 4-5 months in advance of the release date to about 2 dozen reviewers, including the big four: Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Review. Acquisition librarians really look at print reviews, esp. in the big four publications. So, if your book is favorably reviewed in one of them, you're in like Flinn! I was very lucky that both Booklist and Kirkus favorably reviewed A REAL BASKET CASE and Kirkus favorably reviewed TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET. Those reviews meant a lot of preorders from libraries and larger first print runs at Five Star.

[Sheila]

I had a friend who self-published and the library told her the copy wouldn't last long under library misuse, but I hadn't realized there are publishers who produce special copies for libraries. Was it just luck that you ended up with them, or were you looking for someone like that?

[Beth]

Sheila,
It wasn't luck. I researched mystery publishers and both Five Star and Poisoned Pen Press are well-known as high-quality mid-sized presses that are known to launch the careers of mystery writers. Both also happen to produce hardcovers for the library market, but that means their authors' books are eligible for reviews, which help get our names out in the public.

[Sheila]

Thanks Beth. Sounds like you did enough research to know what you were looking for. My research so far has tended to be somewhat unfocused, so this helps.