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(Please move this to the right place, if needed. Wasn't really sure where to put it...)
I've submitted my novel to a couple of publishers (legit, long-established) whose primary market is public libraries. These publishers also do sell books on Amazon and B&N, etc, but their books (as far as I'm aware) are not sold in bookstores.
I have some questions to put "out there" to those who might know:
* What might this (library market) mean, in terms of scope for the author? I mean, I'm not sure how vast and far-reaching the library market is (I assume it's still big, but dwindling, thanks to digital books)? Also, what would be the difference, in terms of selling books to libraries vs. bookstores (the obvious difference would be selling maybe a couple of copies to libraries to be checked out over and over again, versus dozens of copies sold to bookstores, to be SOLD -- but I'm assuming if a publisher has a good reputation with libraries across the country, that would create a steady/sure source of income?).
* If I wanted to look up a title's ranking in the library market/world, how would I go about doing that? I know how to look at Amazon sales and at least get an idea of those rankings. But when it comes to how a certain title is faring in libraries (both with being sold TO libraries and then how they're doing inside the libraries), I'm lost. Don't know if that info is even available anywhere. *shrug*
Thanks in advance for any ideas/input...hope these questions aren't too elementary or confusing. I'm not new to researching publishers -- but I am new to this library market, from the perspective of a writer. I'll take any advice/help I can get!
I've submitted my novel to a couple of publishers (legit, long-established) whose primary market is public libraries. These publishers also do sell books on Amazon and B&N, etc, but their books (as far as I'm aware) are not sold in bookstores.
I have some questions to put "out there" to those who might know:
* What might this (library market) mean, in terms of scope for the author? I mean, I'm not sure how vast and far-reaching the library market is (I assume it's still big, but dwindling, thanks to digital books)? Also, what would be the difference, in terms of selling books to libraries vs. bookstores (the obvious difference would be selling maybe a couple of copies to libraries to be checked out over and over again, versus dozens of copies sold to bookstores, to be SOLD -- but I'm assuming if a publisher has a good reputation with libraries across the country, that would create a steady/sure source of income?).
* If I wanted to look up a title's ranking in the library market/world, how would I go about doing that? I know how to look at Amazon sales and at least get an idea of those rankings. But when it comes to how a certain title is faring in libraries (both with being sold TO libraries and then how they're doing inside the libraries), I'm lost. Don't know if that info is even available anywhere. *shrug*
Thanks in advance for any ideas/input...hope these questions aren't too elementary or confusing. I'm not new to researching publishers -- but I am new to this library market, from the perspective of a writer. I'll take any advice/help I can get!