Marketing Your Book to the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District

For Small Presses and Self-Published Authors
Revised May 2022

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District often adds books to the collection that are produced by self-published authors and small presses. We are especially interested in books about Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. As a public library, we select books written for the general reader rather than for the specialist, practitioner, or scholar.

Because books in a public library get heavy use from the public, we look for titles that are sturdily bound, preferably sewn or glued. Books with pages designed to be filled in or torn out by the reader, or with spiral or comb bindings, do not stand up well in our setting and are usually not added to the collection.

Reviews:

The best way to bring your book to our attention is through professional reviews. Reviews posted by readers on websites (i.e. Amazon.com, Goodreads, etc.) or testimonials by relatives, friends, or colleagues, are not held in the same regard as reviews from third-party, unaffiliated review sources. A positive review in one or more of the library review journals, such as Library Journal, School Library Journal, Booklist, or Publisher’s Weekly, or in a newspaper that publishes book reviews (not ads or publication announcements), will give your book the best chance of being bought by the District -- and other public libraries as well!

Flyers/Promotional Material:

The next best method is a flyer or promotional material mailed to the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s Collection Development Department. We look for:

  • WHAT the book is about: This should be concise and to the point.
  • WHY the book is needed at the Library: Include quotations from reviews, and reader testimonials if you have them. If the book has been reviewed, attach a copy of the review.
  • WHO the intended audience is for this book: Is it intended for adults, young adults or children? Parents, business persons, hobbyists, etc.? 
  • WHO the author is: This should include qualifications, such as education, experience in the field, and experience as a writer. Be sure to mention if you are a local author or publisher, since this may be a factor in our decision.
  • WHEN, WHERE, etc. the book was published: We need all the bibliographic data, including date of publication, price, ISBN number (very important), edition statement, type of binding. If the book is self-published, please give some indication of its physical appearance, including how it is bound.
  • HOW we can get it: Libraries prefer to buy from wholesale vendors, such as Brodart or Ingram, because they process our books for us and get them “shelf ready,” saving us time and money. We are also buying more books in a digital or e-book format, through vendors like OverDrive. It is in your best interest to have your book available through these vendors so that libraries may easily buy copies for their collection. If the book is only available directly from you, be sure to provide a phone number, address, and email address if you have one. Be prepared to accept purchase orders.

Send flyers/promotional materials to:

Collection Development Department
Las Vegas-Clark County Library District

7060 West Windmill Lane Las Vegas, NV 89113

While sample copies may be helpful in our decision, they are not encouraged. All sample copies will be treated as donations and will not be returned. Donations may or may not be added to the collection at the discretion of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. All donated copies not added to the collection will be sent to one of our library bookstores or to an off-site sale.

Some sources for professional reviews:

Booklist

Library Journal

Publishers Weekly

School Library Journal

Foreword Reviews

Other contact information:

Brodart Books & Library Services
support@brodart.com or 800-474-9816

Ingram
https://www.ingramcontent.com/contact

OverDrive (for digital/e-books and e-audio)
https://company.overdrive.com/company/contact/

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