tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post8876680414661411239..comments2024-03-25T21:30:28.970-07:00Comments on <b>Smashwords</b>: New Library Direct Enables Libraries to Acquire Large Opening Collections of Smashwords EbooksDovetail Public Relationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-7411067984701108982018-10-25T04:53:50.173-07:002018-10-25T04:53:50.173-07:00I am glad to read this glorious post.I am glad to read this glorious post.Hildegard Flatleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17834571338997127323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-11450443741253561002017-08-08T11:20:06.085-07:002017-08-08T11:20:06.085-07:00Susan, Nook is Barnes & Noble. I'm not cl...Susan, Nook is Barnes & Noble. I'm not clear on your question but it sounds like this isn't the best place to pose it. Please click over to the Smashwords website then click the "?" at the top of any page to reach our support team. They can help you work through any issue you're having. Thanks!Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-91951863043237055082017-08-08T09:57:47.365-07:002017-08-08T09:57:47.365-07:00Thank you for Smashwords. Excited to see a book so...Thank you for Smashwords. Excited to see a book sold on Nook as I could never get my work uploaded to Barnes and Nobles. Now, can someone help me? I don't understand the library feature. Is it only for Free titles? Can I offer my ebook for free JUST to the libraries? Susan Parker Rosen<br />Tackyhandmadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10214168760993467388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-43711306976175365062015-10-06T10:00:40.530-07:002015-10-06T10:00:40.530-07:00Hi Mark, You are doing such an awesome job with S...Hi Mark, You are doing such an awesome job with Smashwords! Thank you!!! I am going to be publishing my short story collection, Peter's Moonlight Photography and Other Stories soon on Smashwords. Just got released on Createspace and Kindle www.dinarabadi.com You helped me with some initial questions a while back. Thank you again!!!! Dina S. Rabadihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00202258549635104277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-73067566400370143242015-05-07T13:28:25.211-07:002015-05-07T13:28:25.211-07:00I believe that it is only good for authors in a ma...I believe that it is only good for authors in a marketing sense. getting known is a huge part of your success. This is NOT going to make money for authors. It will make money for Mark Coker. Mark Coker is Smashwords-No difference. Hopefully if we help him long enough as he pursues his goals, he may eventually do things in the interest of authors[us]. If he does not then we can simply walk away from Smashwords and hope 10's of thousands of authors do too. Lets hope it never gets to that point. For now, he is acting in a fair manner to promote the ebook business model[And we are a part of that model] and also to keep alive the next generations desire to read and explore new worlds. Lets follow this new way for a while and see where it takes us... Just don't give away your prized mellon is ALL im saying... Play with your second best books and keep the top offering for a launch that will make up for the years of 'no-money at the box office' times... KEEP UR ACE UP YOUR SLEEVE... DON'T GIVE IT AWAY free...THORNVILLE ACADEMYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03247886757765993715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-81718377332964290362015-04-24T05:20:35.601-07:002015-04-24T05:20:35.601-07:00As I understand this, to sell a book to a library ...As I understand this, to sell a book to a library is the same as selling it to a person, who then can lend it to his friends. The sale only encompasses the number of copies that the Library wants.<br /><br />So a library chain with 300 libraries would have to buy 300 print books if they wanted a copy in each library.<br /><br />But as all libraries are probably on one computer network, then they would only need to buy one ebook copy that would be available to all of the libraries.(unless of course they were inundated with orders).<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844564014582142755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5726468621580018262014-12-21T22:10:17.334-08:002014-12-21T22:10:17.334-08:00I live in North Jersey and am in the BCCLS library...I live in North Jersey and am in the BCCLS library system (75 libraries serving 4 million people) which uses peer review to order books. My daughter's e-book is in Overdrive but will never be ordered by the local library (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ)as they use BCCLS for all e-books. Could I get some help establishing Library Direct in the BCCLS library system? Patrick07604https://www.blogger.com/profile/13359920321782852291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-38276730192964897342014-09-27T18:54:17.644-07:002014-09-27T18:54:17.644-07:00I found out how to do it. I have set a price for t...I found out how to do it. I have set a price for the libraries. However what does BN does not accept books set to RSP at Smashwords) mean?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11378137549579827410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-74624111186908994292014-09-27T18:41:01.289-07:002014-09-27T18:41:01.289-07:00I see on my page were it says library direct has o...I see on my page were it says library direct has opted in for 3. However no have been shipped yet. I cannot find the place to sign up for the program and list my price. I do not see it on my dashboard. Where do I sign up at?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11378137549579827410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-53059393000397708422012-12-13T14:38:05.792-08:002012-12-13T14:38:05.792-08:00@ Webistrator, yikes! Thousands of people have re...@ Webistrator, yikes! Thousands of people have read this an no one noticed! All fixed. thanks.Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-3729884243198632452012-12-13T11:18:49.709-08:002012-12-13T11:18:49.709-08:00...and a FWIW on Douglas county model: Douglas is ......and a FWIW on Douglas county model: Douglas is the wealthiest county in CO and has an overabundance of money for its libraries. Sure, they scratch and claw at each other about budgets, etc., but they still ante up when all is said, irrespective of cost.<br /><br />This means that whatever model they have built may (indeed, should) not be thought of as one that fits pricewise with less affluent jurisdictions. Douglas is what we here call the "People's Republic of Boulder" but with silver-plated walking heels on their cowboy boots.Webistratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16559501988439704522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-46963286624624709752012-12-13T10:55:03.453-08:002012-12-13T10:55:03.453-08:00Uh, well, it's "Douglas county" and ...Uh, well, it's "Douglas county" and not "Douglas Country".<br /><br />J. Turbes/Littleton, Douglas county COWebistratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16559501988439704522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-66025325712011583132012-08-17T08:34:49.071-07:002012-08-17T08:34:49.071-07:00Well I think it's highly unlikely my low-selli...Well I think it's highly unlikely my low-selling effort will be included in the selection, but I do think this is a great development.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13378227105791838012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-29298076662283486752012-08-10T16:40:12.513-07:002012-08-10T16:40:12.513-07:00On the Publishers Weekly news site today there'...On the <i>Publishers Weekly</i> news site today there's a report of a <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/53511-ala-releases-report-on-library-e-book-business-models-.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+PW+Daily&utm_campaign=5afbd0669d-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email" rel="nofollow">new policy statement</a> by the American Library Association on what it considers essential in a library ebook business model. The ALA's criteria are:<br /><br /> "Inclusion of all titles: All e-book titles available for sale to the public should also be available to libraries.<br /><br /> "Enduring rights: Libraries should have the option to effectively own the e-books they purchase, including the right to transfer them to another delivery platform and to continue to lend them indefinitely.<br /><br /> "Integration: Libraries need access to metadata and management tools provided by publishers to enhance the discovery of e-books."<br /><br />In talks with major publishers the two sides are far apart on these issues, but the ALA president says, "These features are ultimately essential to the library’s public role."Sylviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15775567658879178186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-53962452124488275002012-08-10T12:30:08.686-07:002012-08-10T12:30:08.686-07:00Good to see that free ebooks will be available to ...Good to see that free ebooks will be available to libraries. I appreciate your comment about "free" not really being free in the DRM environment (additionally, then, there's the I.T. capital and overhead required to maintain growing databases of titles, and systems, processes, and interfaces within an organization almost solely dependent on donations and grants).<br /><br />BTW - my fan base consists of a weighty disk at the bottom of a pole attached to a machine that cools me off. I don't see how waving it around in the air over my head in front of a librarian will convince her/him to order my ebooks. Call the cops? Yes. Order my ebooks? Um, not so sure :D<br /><br />Mark, what are the criteria libraries and aggregators can select from? Are they pre-defined, a cafeteria-style plan offered as bundled-option packages with tiered pricing, fully-customizable based on volume desired, or ...? The reason I ask this same question differently is that if price were to drive purchases more than popularity, then the library-pricing option offered to authors makes sense. How does this field actually benefit authors (other than making popular titles more affordable to libraries and aggragators)? If this is the only benefit, then is there a point in unknown authors managing this field?<br /><br />If I'm reading between the lines correctly, LibraryDirect and the library-price field target established and promising authors, but really offer nothing to Smashwrds' *average* author.<br /><br />Certainly, you provide the playground, but if no one wants to get on the see-saw with me, then I don't need to get on the bloody thing and make the ride easier by lifting my side of it up off the ground - for no one there. And, yes, I do understand that the library models, as they exist today, are low volume opportunities. I'm just trying to wrap my arms around how the majority of Smashwrds' authors benefit from the library-price field today, or how we can participate, today, in LibraryDirect. I have no expectations, by design, that there's a direct income opportunity. I just want to grow my base, too. It sucks being the kid outside the candy store, watching while others get the goodies. This is where I believed one of Smashwords' strengths came from providing a level playing field.<br /><br />Thanks,<br />LCLC_Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03068023786048731977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-9401691340707954552012-08-10T11:15:59.913-07:002012-08-10T11:15:59.913-07:00Hi Robert. See my notes above in the comments abou...Hi Robert. See my notes above in the comments about KDP.Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-73970584666577319432012-08-10T10:25:59.550-07:002012-08-10T10:25:59.550-07:00This is wonderful news. I was wondering. Does Amaz...This is wonderful news. I was wondering. Does Amazon KDP agreement gauranteeing that Amazon can match the lowest retail price apply to the library price on Smashwords? <br /><br />I would love to have another way to get into library catalogs aside from Overdrive; at the same time, I'm not sure if it means that Smashwords library price could be adopted by Amazon as part of the KDP agreement.<br /><br />Robert NagleRobert Naglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09244278749337954786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-5068212717222079522012-08-10T09:43:44.938-07:002012-08-10T09:43:44.938-07:00@Ann. No guilt trips. It's your choice if you...@Ann. No guilt trips. It's your choice if you want to participate. Smashwords authors have an opportunity to have their copyrighted books listed at Open Library, DRM'd, for one checkout at a time. Checkouts expire after two weeks. It can only be checked out by one person at a time. To check out a book, a reader must register for an account with Open Library.<br /><br />@LC Free titles are available to Library Direct libraries if they want them. Whether your book is free or not won't significantly impact adoption, because most Smashwords books are already so low cost. On the library aggregator side, I expect that some future aggregators won't support free. You're asking a lot of good questions, but they're also very open ended. As much as I'd love to be able to give you a firm answer, I can't accurately predict how libraries will respond to free, or lower-than-retail, or even higher-than-retail. My sense is that quality and popularity are most important to them, because they want to acquire titles their patrons will enjoy. There's a cost for them to ingest, manage and lend even free books (Adobe charges libraries for each lend, even of free books), so they're unlikely to want free books that aren't going to get read (there's a need in the marketplace for a free open source DRM checkout system that libraries can use, but that's a matter for another time, and some entrepreneur other than yours truly). We're in the very early days of this. I think the important thing to recognize is that noone really knows where things are headed. I do know that libraries will account for a very small portion of overall sales for Smashwords authors in the short term. Longer term, though, I'm really excited about both the platform-building potential and the sales potential. We wouldn't be making these big investments if I felt otherwise. As I mentioned earlier, everyone should keep their expectations low. In terms of your notes on push vs. pull, be careful not to over-analyze. :) We're offering libraries choices and options they never had before. In the other thread regarding the <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/08/smashwords-pricing-manager-tool-enables.html" rel="nofollow">Pricing Manager</a> Ruth Ann Nordin hit the opportunity on the head. Authors have an opportunity to encourage their fans around the world to ask their local libraries to carry the ebooks of their favorite indie authors. Libraries can access these books through Baker & Taylor's Axis 360, and eventually 3M's Cloud Library, and in the months ahead we hope others as well. And if the library wants to adopt the Douglas County model, Library Direct is an option for them.Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-1950629713425404922012-08-10T08:48:08.480-07:002012-08-10T08:48:08.480-07:00Relevant here, the following is my post to Mark Co...Relevant here, the following is my post to Mark Coker's announcement of the Pricing Manager tool):<br /><br />Thank you, Mark and Team, for the added pricing flexibility and increased access to libraries.<br /><br />How are "free" titles being distributed via the LibraryDirect program? Similarly, how will lowering our prices, via Pricing Manager, drive titles to libraries?<br /><br />I strongly believe authors should donate to libraries for the common good. I will price my ebooks at "free" also to libraries to grow my base.<br /><br />Having made this commitment, however, doesn't seem to mean that my titles will get to library patrons any differently than what occurs within a library's legacy process.<br /><br />For example, whether via LibraryDirect or aggragators, the distribution model is still a "pull" strategy - where libraries cherry pick titles, catagories, and/or best-seller lists. This is a departure from Smashwords' base model, which "pushes" the entire Smashwords catalog to retailers.<br /><br />As such, what does it matter what I price my ebooks at if my titles aren't selected by libraries and aggregators! What is the process for distributing "free" ebooks to libraries via Smashwords?<br /><br />My concern is for those of us who don't have titles in the Top 100 (or whatever). The sorting and selection criteria, from what I've read, allows libraries & aggregators to cull from pre-defined sorts. Is "free" one of them? What does less-than-retail pricing (the library-pricing field) do for authors/publishers?<br /><br />It's a no-brainer for libraries to accept free books as they don't impact a library's budget. As such, unless there's a prestige factor at play, libraries should gobble up the free titles.<br /><br />You see the problem here - my titles may never reach library patrons unless pushed to libraries.<br />Ruth Ann Nordin wrote an excellent reply, which I'm paraphrasing here. Authors should get the word out to fans to get into local libraries and request books.<br />I certainly agree with Ruth's perspective. Successful and branded authors will enjoy the benefits of participating in LibraryDirect and the library-pricing tool within Smashwords, but what about the majority of Smashwords' 45,000 authors, who remain virtually unknown?<br /><br />The beauty of Smashwords is that it provides a level playing field for both successful and unknown authors. So, my questions target Smashwords' processes and its relationships with aggregators and libraries: How will Smashwords retain its neutrality with an offering like LibraryDirect? How will free and under-priced ebooks get to libraries and their patrons?<br /><br />Take care,<br />LCLC_Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03068023786048731977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-19968960237255006392012-08-10T03:08:28.013-07:002012-08-10T03:08:28.013-07:00thanks for your reply, Sylvia, although I would li...thanks for your reply, Sylvia, although I would like someone to confirm that books still in copyright still require a login to access. I've never been happy with ARchive.org attitude to other people's data - which is to assume permission rather than to ask for it - so I'm wary about this project under their auspices.<br /><br />However, since my books doubtless don't fit the 'best selling' or high review threshold, I guess I am unlikely even to be picked up by this scheme. So I am probably worried for no point.Ann Somervillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18174848179481724352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-37465697350042501612012-08-09T19:28:47.212-07:002012-08-09T19:28:47.212-07:00Ann, the books that can be downloaded free at Open...Ann, the books that can be downloaded free at Open Library are in the public domain because their copyright has expired. They can be reprinted by anyone -- I do freelance editing of nonfiction anthologies on historical topics and we do legally reprint excerpts from Open Library books. This is entirely different from giving your books to libraries free. You still will own the copyrights, and though people can <i>read</i> the books free, it is still illegal for them to <i>copy</i> them -- just as it is illegal for people to copy and distribute books priced "free" at a retail site.Sylviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15775567658879178186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-45094486642369446452012-08-09T19:01:57.549-07:002012-08-09T19:01:57.549-07:00"The ebooks will be checked out one at a time..."The ebooks will be checked out one at a time,"<br /><br />Uh, have you used it? There are free books, and you can download them at will. Other books - presumably ones which are not free - you have to be a member to access.<br /><br />Could you please clarify if books which are free to libraries are accessible only to logged in members?<br /><br />"The Internet Archive is building an internet library."<br /><br />As it *appears* to operate now, it's more like a collection of out of copyright/free books, with some paid ones as well.<br /><br />"For anyone who loves libraries, you've got to love Internet Archive."<br /><br />No, I don't. I don't let Archive.org archive my site, but I am happy for people to read it, and I am happy to let libraries have my books but not to make it impossible to sell them through retailers. I don't wish to be guilttripped into doing something which I don't feel benefits me. I support lending, I support libraries. The situation is not clear on Open LIbrary/Ann Somervillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18174848179481724352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-18083174310291022192012-08-09T18:18:40.598-07:002012-08-09T18:18:40.598-07:00@ann The Internet Archive is building an internet...@ann The Internet Archive is building an internet library. They're a really great organization, with great people behind it, and they're a non-profit. The ebooks will be checked out one at a time, DRM'd, just like a regular library. Unlike a regular library, their collection is available to anyone with an Internet connection, including people who don't have the benefit of a physical local library. I hope you'll reconsider your support for them! For anyone who loves libraries, you've got to love Internet Archive.<br /><br />Here's an interview with their founder, Brewster Kahle, in the LA Times: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-morrison-brewster-kahle-20120128,0,4242619.column" rel="nofollow">The Internet Archive's Brewster Kahle</a> and here's some good background on the organization: <a href="http://archive.org/about/" rel="nofollow">About the Internet Archive</a>Dovetail Public Relationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05039664167177159146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-37311513659629778362012-08-09T16:46:52.752-07:002012-08-09T16:46:52.752-07:00Mark, there is a big difference between reader rev...Mark, there is a big difference between reader reviews and professional reviews or staff reviews! No book has hundreds of staff reviews, so I assume you are referring to reader reviews, and it's certainly true with respect to them -- by definitioon if a book has a large number of reader reviews it must be selling, and such reviews are not always reliable. Libraries have never paid any attention to reader reviews.<br /><br />But there is a list of publications, such as <i>Library Journal</i>, <i>Booklist</i> and <i>Kirkus Reviews</i>, whose reviews are important to them. There are also some review websites now that are considered good review sources, sites where the reviewers are on staff or are picked by the staff. This isn't the same thing as a site where reviews are posted by readers. It's true that few indie ebooks have professional reviews, but they often do have staff reviews from the better review sites, which some librarians personally read.<br /><br />Also, ebook editions of books that were previously published in print usually have professional reviews of the original editions -- mine do. Authors generally quote from these on the first page of the ebook, so it's simple to tell whether they have any.<br />But libraries can't look at the first page of an ebook before they buy it, and under the sales rank system they can't even choose according to the professional review publications they have on file. THey can't even order ebook editions of books formerly in their catalogs that wore out. I think that as the program expands, they will not be happy to find that they are getting only bestsellers and can't select other books they know they want.Sylviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15775567658879178186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436915084701775452.post-17700724008720196612012-08-09T16:34:53.358-07:002012-08-09T16:34:53.358-07:00I should add that I know pricing the books at 99ce...I should add that I know pricing the books at 99cents will solve that problem, so I've done that.<br /><br />But I *wanted* to price them for free on principle, because I really, really love libraries.Ann Somervillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18174848179481724352noreply@blogger.com