Join Me and Others at the Library Insights Panel in Chicago on June 26th

For the second year in a row I am pleased to be a part of the Library Insight Summit. From their About page:

Library Insights Summit 2026 - Connecting Publishers & Librarians

Register Today!

LIS is the only conference designed to bring established publishers, author-publishers, and librarians together for a full day of smart, actionable, and future-focused programming.

Spend your morning in targeted breakout sessions for your community—then come together in the afternoon for conversations that matter to everyone working along the path from book creation to reader access.

Scheduled for the day before ALA Annual in Chicago, at McCormick Place, LIS will feature morning breakout sessions for three communities: established trade publishers, author publishers, and librarians. In the afternoon, we’ll bring everyone together for programming relevant to all sectors.

If you work anywhere along the path between book creation and reader access, you belong at LIS! 

Also here is info I received form a marketing email:

At a time when so much of our work happens digitally, there is still enormous value in gathering together in person.

Ideas sharpen.
Relationships deepen.
Perspectives widen.
Inspiration ignites.

The Library Insights Summit was created to foster exactly those moments. It brings publishers and librarians into the same room for practical conversations, collaborative thinking, and the kind of networking that strengthens business relationships and enriches the literary community.

We hope you’ll join us in Chicago on June 26.

Register today at https://libraryinsightssummit2026.sched.com/

This event is only $199 and you get breakfast and lunch. It is the day leading up to the late afternoon opening session of ALA. This means you can join us if you are going to ALA but also, even if you are not.

I will be there all day as an attendee and a presenter. Here are the detail on my panel:

Smarter Marketing for Maximum Library Impact:

As library supply chains and discovery systems evolve, publishers are facing new challenges in getting their titles seen and ordered. At the same time, librarians are navigating a fragmented marketplace to find trustworthy, complete information on forthcoming books. This session brings together marketing and distribution experts to show how publishers can sharpen their strategies, stretch their budgets, and strengthen relationships with this vital audience. Learn how to optimize metadata for library visibility, coordinate publicity with wholesale and discovery platforms, and build long-term awareness among collection development professionals.

I am the moderator and my panelists are:

• Lila Denning: Acquisitions Coordinator, St Petersburg Library System 
• Kaycie Hoffman Blaylock: Library & Resource Coordinator, Alexandria City Public Schools
• Rebecca Vnuk: Executive Director, LibraryReads

I can't wait to share our marketing tips with such an accomplished group of library workers from school to public settings. We are at 10:30, but I urge you to see the entire list of programs available here. As an attendee last year, I can tell you with confidence, that this event is worth your time. The amount of learning, idea sharing, and networking I got in that single day last year rivaled what I got from the entire conference to follow. I think the quote in the image above sums it up perfectly:

"Creates a much needed quiet space to dive deep and focus in the connection of publishers and librarians before the loud and invigorating energy of everything that the ALA Conference is!" 

Please consider joining us, especially if you are a library worker in the Chicago area who doesn't plan to attend the entire conference. I know not everyone can be there every day, but this is a nice option before it all begins.

(Also RAILS libraries, head over to their site to grab your $40 Exhibit Passes and use them on your day off to wander the Exhibit Hall. Also hot tip for all-- I will be at the S&S Booth on Saturday signing copies of WHY I LOVE HORROR. More details soon.)

 As I said, I will be there the entire time, not just for my panel. Maybe I will see you there.

Click here to register now.

The Buying Power of Libraries and How Your Local Choices Matter

Those of us who work in libraries often forget how much a part of the business of books we actually are. We overly focus on how our services are pre-paid for our patrons. How when they come in to use our services, they do so without a cost besides their tax dollars. (Remember, libraries are not free, they are pre-paid.)

But real talk here. There are around 17,00 public libraries in America. There are more public libraries than there are McDonald's.

An author like Stephen King, his books are bought by just about every single public library in America-- and many of those libraries buy more than one copy. And for libraries who have any author on "auto buy" he is one there as well. Meaning, no one even has to think twice about King, knowing that he will be on their shelves.

In the current funding crunch, things that the federal dollars were paying for have been the first things to go. For example, lots of continuing education and in some places ILL.

Now, many of you are saying, yeah that sucks but they didn't touch our book budgets.

Well you are wrong. 

You see, as administration and department heads have been navigating the money they have lost, they have also realized they cannot simply cut off the services they allocated that money to. Rather, they need to redistribute the dollars. Meaning....they are coming for our book budgets. 

Now Stephen King, he will keep selling books, but it is the new voices and midlist authors who we will have to not buy. This is bad for so many reasons, but the biggest problem is that libraries buy the books of midlist authors at a higher rate than anyone-- even book stores. If those authors don't get into libraries, they will not only not make as many sales, but they will also not be discovered by as many readers.

Both of those things lead to them not getting new book deals.

This is the entire reason why LibraryReads was started by the way-- to give libraries a way to flex their buying power muscle. It is also the reason why most publishers invest in a library specific marketing staff. 

As we see cuts to library budgets all across the country, I am surprised it took this long for publishers to start publicly calling out how much this will hurt their bottom lines. But they are speaking out about it now.

[Related, I am not sure how this is going to help our fight to stop the eBook and eAudio price gouging, but one topic at a time.]

Now, I need you to understand that when the publishers start to speak out, it is not to help us. It is to help their bottom lines. They are just looking for an excuse to publish fewer new voices. They are also looking for an excuse to charge more per book.

Be aware of your own budget cuts, but also stand your ground with publishers. Our buying power matters. And we need to make sure we are still buying books in all genres and for all voices. 

On your end, don't cut that new voice when your dollars go down. Start with the biggest name authors. Buy fewer copes of them. Yes your patrons will have to wait, BUT you will be sending a message to the publishers that you need and want books for every reader not just the best sellers. 

We all lose when new voices are not given a chance. We don't want a monoculture of options from the major publishers. And we don't want everything interesting and new coming only from small presses because many libraries cannot buy from them and getting those books is a privilege. We don't want access to books to stop being available to everyone.

Stay vigilant and keep being a voice for inclusivity and a range of options. We do not need 5 James Patterson books. People can wait. Get 2 and buy 3 others books with that money (x like 5 times a year).

It will make a difference both in making your limited dollars stretch and it will send the correct message to publishers. 

Don't think you have no power here. You do. You just have to be willing to take a stand.

U.S. Book Show Recap

Earlier this week, Publisher's Weekly presented the US Book Show in NYC. From the FAQ page for the event: 

In its fifth year, the U.S. Book show is an in-person conference for publishing professionals. The conference will feature rich panels and discussions around issues impacting the industry. By design, there will be plenty of time to network during the day with an end-of-day networking reception planned.

Click here to see the full schedule of the topics explored and the speakers included.

PW had two detailed reports on the show:

• U.S. Book Show 2025: The State of Book Businesses Past, Present, and Future
• U.S. Book Show 2025: AI Looms Large Across Publishing Sectors

Now why I am posting about this event that already happened? Well, as we are all about to have the American Library Association conference later this month, I think it is important to be aware of what our cohorts in the publishing world are talking about at their meetings. We overlap in many important ways, and seeing their concerns and reading reports on what they discussed, only helps us to understand their side of our shared equation.

There is a lot of useful information for those of us who serve readers at the library in those reports. It is like a crash course in the biggest issues in book publishing right now.

Take a moment at the end of your week to catch up on the issues that were discussed at the U.S. Book Show. This is an easy opportunity to see things from the publisher side.

Back Monday to talk about all of those "Best of the year so far" lists.

Free Virtual Book Event Coming Next Week: Penguin Random House Spring Book & Author Festival 2025

Penguin Random House Spring Book & Author Festival 2025 is coming to you via Library Journal and School Library Journal for free and on your computer all day Thursday, May 8th.

It is an all ages event with authors for all of your readers. 

From the Home page for the event:

On May 8th, join Penguin Random House, Library Journal, and School Library Journal for our Spring 2025 virtual book and author festival, a free day-long event celebrating reading, authors, and librarians everywhere! Enjoy a day packed with author panels and interviews, book buzzes, virtual shelf browsing, and adding to your TBR pile.  

You’ll hear from many of your favorite authors, whose work runs the gamut from Picture Books to Young Adult titles to the best new Fiction and Nonfiction for adults. There is something of interest for every reader. Attendees will also have the opportunity to check out the virtual exhibit hall, access eGalleys, and enter to win prizes and giveaways.  

Join the conversation on X! #PRHBookFest 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW

All live sessions will be on Zoom. Make sure to log in to your work or personal Zoom account before the day starts to avoid having to log in for each session. 

The Virtual Environment is optimized for 1024 X 768 screen resolution. Joining the environment with a cell phone is not recommended. Please make sure your computer and browser are up to date. Chrome tends to work best. The event platform does not support IE11 + Windows 7 or older versions. 

CE certificates are available in the event environment for all keynotes and panels, whether you view them live or on-demand. Certificates are not provided for sponsored content. 

If on the day of the event you find that you are unable to access the environment or join a session, please know that sessions will be available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours, and the entire event will be accessible for three months from the event date. 

By registering for this event or webcast, you are agreeing to Library Journal Privacy Policy and Code of Conduct Policy and agreeing that Library Journal may share your registration information with current and future sponsors of this event. 

Having trouble registering? Contact the Event Manager. 

Click here to see the full program featuring conversations with over 50 authors and more. Again, the authors are for all ages of readers.

One of my favorite planned talks is this one:

2:20 – 3:10 PM ET | The Making of An Audio Original: Press Play on SOUNDTRACK by Jason Reynolds

Go behind the scenes of the making of the highly anticipated new audiobook original from beloved, bestselling author Jason Reynolds! Joined in conversation with his two PRH Audio producers, Dan Zitt and Brian Ramcharan, they’ll discuss how SOUNDTRACK, a full cast production with an original score, came to life in the studio from concept to casting, and beyond! Tune in and hear more about Reynold’s newest literary work about New York City teens whose talent and love of music lift them to unexpected heights.
Moderator: Sarah Hashimoto, Editor, Library Journal

This is going to be a great event. Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Signup to watch live or view on demand after the event.  

Join Me at the Library Insights Summit on Friday, June 27th in Philly (with coupon)

ALA Annual is a little over 2 months away and plans are starting to come together. I had my first meeting with my panel (details about that soon) and I finalized my appearance in the convention center (room tbd) on Friday, June 27th, to be a part of the Library Insights Summit. 

Registration is now open and I have a coupon for you. If you want to join us use the code FRIENDS30 for $30 off the ticket price. Click here to register now. Again, the exact room in which the event will be held is TBD but it will be in the convention center and it ends before the ALA opening session.

Here is the general information about the event:

Library Insights Summit 2025

Registration is now open! Keep checking back for event registration, speaker announcements, and more details.

Ticket Prices: $225 

A daylong conference focused on bringing publishers and librarians together to improve their business relationship, LIS discussion topics include improving metadata for title discovery, balancing digital and print book demand, collaborating on challenges faced by librarians, and marketing tactics for reaching both rural and urban systems. Two keynote speakers, lunch, and refreshments round out the day with plenty of time for networking.

LIS was conceived as a forum for publishing professionals to better understand and interact with librarians, to learn more about current collection development needs, and to network with other publishers to energize their ALA participation.

A separate morning track is designed to meet the needs of author publishers. Please provide demographic information during registration to maximize your participation.

Plan your ALA adventure in advance so that you can accommodate your booth set-up schedule around this can’t-miss event. Housing and registration for ALA is now open. The exhibit hall opens for set-up Thursday, June 26, from 8am-5pm, providing you with an alternative to booth building on the day of the LIS event.

Questions? Contact Tina at tvickery@heiexpo.com

Click here to see the full schedule of events.

Here is the information about the panel I am moderating:

 Library Challenges and How Publishers Can Help

Friday June 27, 2025 12:45pm - 1:45pm EDT 

Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA

This panel will discuss how publishers can offer librarians encouragement and support in the face of book bans, decreasing budgets, collection diversity impediments, technology advances, increasing data insight vs privacy concerns, and a more engaged community.

(Please note, as of this writing I have not been added to the website yet, but I have been confirmed.)

I have been working with the Independent Book Publishing Association over the last year (click here to listen to me talk to authors about getting their books into libraries). I believe in the work they are trying to do to connect publishers with libraries and I am thrilled to be a part of this full day of programming.

If you plan to be in town by Thursday night, this would be a great event to add to your schedule. 

I hope to see you there.

Why Representation in Publishing Matters

Robin Bradford and I are working on a new version of our Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers for a new venue (one all of you can access). That will debut in February 2025 and details about how to register will come out form the organizer soon. 

Visit our Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers landing page for more details and pricing. And while you are there, please note there is no longer a version of our class via any NoveList platform (beginning 1/1/25). So if you have a subscription to Learn With NoveList and haven't completed our class, you need to get it done by 12/31. It will be gone after that. 

Specifically today however, Robin and I are meeting to work on a new facet to this training, an interactive piece that you can use in your work at your library over time. We are very excited to offer this in February in a beta version, but the plan is to workshop this print product and eventually turn it into a product anyone can buy.

As part of this process and each of us updating our presentations, I have been digging into more information that explains the WHY behind this work. Why is it important? Why should we all do it? Why including more voices is imperative to create a sense of belonging in our libraries? And most importantly working on helping each of you find your own why.

As the political climate shifts, we need to spend a lot more time focusing on the less inflammatory examples of WHY diversity matters. It has always been the focus of how Robin and I teach our course, but right now, if we are going to be able to talk about representation and diversity at all, this has to be EVERYONE'S focus.

To that end, I was encouraged to see the most recent issue of PW focusing on this very topic. First with this great article compiling interviews with publishing industry leaders all about why representation in publishing matters. 

And second, it has been 10 years since the founding of We Need Diverse Books (wow, it doesn't feel that long ago). To celebrate, PW met up with the founders to mark their 10 years, discuss current challenges, and look into the future with this great article.

Both of these pieces really dive into why diversity and representation matter always, but especially right now. Robin and I will add our voice to this discussion as it pertains to collection development and readers' advisory in the coming months as well.

I wish we didn't have to keep teaching this class. But we do. And since we have to, we are committed to making it as useful as possible for you, despite the state you live in or the administrational support you have. That is our promise to all of you. No matter where you reside, we have something to help you prioritize belonging at your libraries through representation.

Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks.

Growing Number of AI Scam Books

Today I just want to pass on an emerging issue that we all need to be aware-- the influx of AI created scam books being sold on Amazon.

Please see the full story here from NPR, "Authors push back on the growing number of AI 'scam' books on Amazon." but here is one small section that explains the overall problem:

Marie Arana is a writer who spent years researching and writing her book LatinoLand: A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority. The book came out in February. The day after its release, she went on Amazon to see how it was doing. "Right below the cover of my book was another cover," Arana says. "The cover said 'America's Largest and Least Understood Minority. A Summary of Latinoland.'"

Arana sent NPR a photo of the search result on Amazon. The book says it was written by Clara Bailey. A review of Bailey's work showed that Bailey had published a number of these so-called summaries and put them up for sale on Amazon. NPR asked an Amazon spokesperson about Bailey but did not receive a related response. And the company did not offer anyone up for an interview when asked, generally, about AI-generated books. Since NPR's inquiry, Bailey's books have been removed from Amazon. Bailey's publishing history still appears on Goodreads.

Again, there is more information and depth in the full piece.  

Okay, Becky, many of you may be thinking, that's fine but we buy almost all of our books from Ingram, Baker and Taylor, or from the publishers directly. Yes, I know that, but we need to be aware for a few reasons:

1. For the times we do go directly to Amazon to buy things that we can only get there (especially print on demand of self-published, popular titles), we need to be extra careful that what we are buying is the actual book, by the real author of that book. If we cannot do that, what are we being paid for.
2. We know that library patrons are the most likely people to buy books for themselves. Many of them are voracious readers and use Amazon for their ebooks (especially) and sometimes, print. They will not be as aware of this issue. It is our responsibility as information professionals and advisory librarians to make sure they know this is going on and help them navigate their reading options. It is the same as teaching kids to identify misinformation. I would post this article on your website and social media, make sure it shows up in places where your readers are in your building as well. Maybe a sign at the circulation desk or near the "New" books shelves. Just a note like "Buyer Beware: There Are a Growing Number of AI Scam Books. Ask at the desk for more info." Or add a QR code so they can self-service their way to the article. 
3. And this one is the most important. I don't think this issue is going to stay confined to scammers acting alone on Amazon. We need to stay vigilant and aware because at some point, not too far in the future, I could see AI books creeping onto our trusted platforms and sneaking into our collections. Staying up to date for ourselves and making sure we help our users know about it, is paramount.

Lee & Low's Quadrennial Update to Their Diversity in Publishing Report

Lee & Low have release their third Diversity in Publishing Baseline Report. Below I have reposted the introduction, but you should click here to read the entire thing. 

From the Diversity Baseline Survey landing page (different than the page with the current report):

Lee & Low Books released the first Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS 1.0) in 2015. Before the DBS, people suspected publishing had a diversity problem, but without hard numbers, the extent of that problem was anyone’s guess. Our goal was to survey publishing houses and review journals regarding the racial, gender, sexual orientation, and ability makeup of their employees; establish concrete statistics about the diversity of the publishing workforce; and then build on this information by reissuing the survey every four years. Through these long-term efforts, we would be able to track what progress our industry shows over time in improving representation and inclusion.

The fact that this is the 3rd iteration has made the results and reporting even more useful and significant. 

And full disclosure: As a reviewer for a major journal, I was one of the people surveyed for this report.

Click here or see below to get started reading the results. 

WHERE IS THE DIVERSITY IN PUBLISHING? THE 2023 DIVERSITY BASELINE SURVEY RESULTS

INTRODUCTION

The Diversity Baseline Survey was created to answer a question: Does the book industry have a diversity problem? A benchmark to measure the demographics of the publishing workforce was missing from the larger conversation about representation in books. First executed in 2015 and then in 2019, the Diversity Baseline Survey has become an industry standard, providing a way to track whether publishing’s inclusive hiring practices are working. See data from the previous studies—2019 and 2015—for comparison.

Employers are routinely vociferous about their commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) initiatives without implementing the transparent means to monitor results. We know institutional change takes time to bear fruit, which is why revisiting the survey every few years is so vital.

WHY DOES DIVERSITY IN PUBLISHING MATTER?

People from all backgrounds are demanding to see themselves in media. Thanks to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we know there are more diverse children’s and young adult books being published today. We also know the book industry’s power as a form of cultural expression and as a tastemaker. Television, film, and theater are influenced by publishing trends and successes. It has been heartening to see diverse casting reflected in the many book-to-screen adaptations—irrevocably altering who is seen and heard.

It’s imperative the publishing workforce continues to reflect the many lived experiences in North America. As gatekeepers, we decide what stories get published, which creators get the extra sales or marketing push, and which books get reviewed. Our industry greatly benefits from a diverse workforce to shape the voices and characters that will appeal to a wide audience.

While the 2023 Diversity Baseline Survey results still indicate a majority workforce of straight, nondisabled, White women, there are noticeable percentage changes across various categories. For example, when the DBS was first administered in 2015, 79% of the respondents identified as White. In 2023, 72.5% identified as White. This marked improvement shows that the publishing industry is becoming more inclusive, albeit incrementally so.

THE LAST FOUR YEARS

To say a lot has happened since 2019, when the last DBS results were released, is an understatement. In the US, the political climate feels increasingly polarized as we fight to preserve our democracy. As global citizens, we also bear witness to geopolitical instability and violence from all corners of the planet. These events, among many others, have shaped our worldview:

• The COVID-19 pandemic killed over 7 million people and temporarily shut down the world.
• People worldwide rose up to protest state-sanctioned violence and racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police.
• The US Supreme Court issued judgments ending affirmative action and the federal right to abortion.

Within our industry, important conversations are changing the landscape:

• Grassroots organizations People of Color in Publishing and Latinx in Publishing released the findings of their Workplace Racism Survey.
• PEN America also offered its analysis of the industry in its Reading Between the Lines report.
• The American Library Association reported the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. Many of the books being challenged are by and about people of color and/or who are LGBTQ+.

Click here to continue reading the full report

Publisher's Library Marketing Resources

[Eds note: Today's post is useful, but short, but I have a good reason. I was invited to this bill signing. More about that event and how public librarianship requires advocacy in a much longer post on the blog tomorrow.] 

We are inching closer to ALA Annual and even if you are not going, now is a good time to remind everyone about the fact that many publishers have marketing departments specifically for the library  market. And all of them are preparing a lot of information and resources as the move toward ALA.

The most common question I get about the library marketing teams from local library workers is "Will they even care about me because my library is small?" The answer is yes. Every single library worker no matter how small your library, no matter how small your budget, all of the library marketing teams want to connect with you.

You can find a full list of all of the Library Marketing Reps with links to their social media and websites on the "Resources" page from LibraryReads or on EarlyWord who are the originators and managers of this list. 

But I wanted to give you direct access to one of the best library marketing web resources here on the blog so you can see what kinds of content you can expect. Harper Collins' Library Love Fest page is chock full of content and resources for you. They have upcoming events in the center, but also in both gutters, all of the links you would need for all of their upcoming titles for Adult readers from podcasts, to digital ARCs, to how to participate in virtual Book Buzzes on YouTube to galley chats on Twitter and more!

Explore those resources today, bookmark the pages from LibraryReads or EarlyWord, and make a point to check back frequently. At the very least, signup for all of their newsletters. I promise you, they are very worth it because these newsletters are tailored exactly to our library needs.

Big Five Imprints Infographic

Whether you realize it or not, much of what we do in libraries is inexorably tied to the Big 5 publishers, and specifically to the fact that the vast majority of books in our collections are published by only 5 companies. 

Because these publishers have dozens of imprints, it is easy to forget that it all boils down to 5 and only 5. Yes we collect items by others presses, but it is pocket change in comparison.

I know many of you know this, but how many of you have sat down and really thought about it. Probably none of you. Heck, I barely give this the brain space I should. I grapple with this 4x a year as I build my Library Journal Horror Review Column and try as hard as I can to have no more than 2 books by one publisher.

Well someone who thinks about this a lot and has turned it into an infographic that will force you to realize how much we are beholden to the Big 5 is Ali Almossawi who runs "The Critical Thinker."

Click here to see their infographic illustrating the Big 5's control on publishing. I promise you, even if you think you are ready to see this, you are not.

I, for one, am going to keep this graphic in mind more often as I go about my day to day work.

Please take a moment to look and absorb.

State of Diversity in Publishing and Robin's and My Anti-Racist Training Program

As Robin and I offer our Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers workshops and training programs, we work very hard to explain that finding great readers by marginalize voices is not that hard if you prioritize searching them out.

This is not a lie, but it is also true that it is ALWAYS easier to find a book by a straight, cis, white person for any topic or appeal factor. Robin and I discuss at length the issue of systemic oppression that lies at the foundation of our world, a fact that once acknowledged makes it easier to do the work we work to train you to do. 

Once of those pillars, supporting a world where whiteness is the default is the publishing industry. It is mostly white and even with concerted efforts to uplift and publish marginalized voices, the work can only go so far with a mostly white work force. This is not to say they are not trying, but the work  take time.

Last week, Book Riot had this essay with the history of the intentional efforts by the publishing industry to  to diversify itself. The essay includes is a good history of this effort, with links, which began with a Lee & Low survey in 2019. This essay brings us all up to the present and includes multiple reports so that you can have a full picture of the issue.

Information like this is key to our work in libraries, both as we try to provide actively anti-racist service to our readers AND as we are simultaneously struggling with how to diversify our ranks as well.

I  also want remind you that Robin and I are very engaged in this work from every angle, and our Learn With NoveList Active Anti-Racist Service to Readers class is the perfect way to help  be part of the solution. We just had our first of 4 live Q&A's with  the first cohort of learners and it went very well. There is plenty of time to get in and finishing the asynchronous learning before we come back in April for another live session. And once you complete the, you can participate in all three remaining sessions if you want. All for one price.

Click here to see a preview of the class and learn more.

I cannot stress enough how happy Robin and I are with this course. And to be very honest with all of you, it is better and cheaper than if we come to your library. Seriously. 100% better and cheaper.

And to sweetened the deal, use the code "Becky" and receive $40 off for 1 person, or email learnwithnovelist@ebsco.com and ask about discounts for multiple people from your organization to learn together. It is the best way to take our class both in terms of the learning itself and the pricing. 

Whether or not you take the course, please go here and read "The State of Diversity in Publishing" via Book Riot. 

And if you have further questions you can always contact me.

Reading Between the Lines: Race, Equity, and Book Publishing via PEN America

As readers of this blog know, I spend a lot of time on my presentations with Robin Bradford which we call "Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers." And in fact, we have BIG news about that coming to the blog tomorrow.

One of the things we hear often from our critics is that our call to intentionally diversify our collections and suggestions to readers is not harming white authors. The argument goes that since the book publishers focusing on diversifying their offerings, there are fewer and fewer white books available now.

This argument is COMPLETELY FALSE and I have talked about here on the blog and in my presentations, but now we finally have an actual report from PEN America that debunks this completely and thoroughly. 

Entitled, "Reading Between the Lines: Race, Equity, and Book Publishing," the report can be read for free here.

Please take some time to read it and process it. To help you understand what is included, I have pasted the ToC below. But first a bit from the Introduction section of the report:

If publishers are the curators of our country’s stories, they have an obligation to ensure that these stories reflect the breadth of our society. Current diversity statistics, alongside the testimony of many publishing and writing professionals of color, point to persistent obstacles and shortcomings in fulfilling this responsibility. 

PEN America undertook this report to better understand why the debate over the lack of diversity in publishing has seemed to stagnate, or to progress only in fits and starts. Our hope is to shed light on the dynamics that both enable and inhibit the broadest range of voices in American literature. In researching this issue, PEN America focused on racial and ethnic diversity—acute and urgent, if not the sole, areas of under-representation. Our research and analysis incorporate interviews, conversations with major publishers, and open-source data and draw on PEN America’s deep contacts with authors and editors and throughout the field of adult trade publishing.

This is a report I know I will be coming back to as well. Please read it and save it for further use. 

Report Contents

This report has five sections.

• Section I offers a snapshot of the transitions afoot in the industry.
• Section II addresses recruitment and retention, delineating how the lack of staff diversity impedes the autonomy and authority of editors and executives of color, and limits the books that are acquired and how they are marketed and sold.
• Section III explores long-standing attitudes and platitudes that have shaped the way the publishing industry has dealt with books by authors of color, including the shibboleth that “diverse books don’t sell.”
• Section IV examines how certain timeworn conventions such as author advances and the use of comparative titles (“comps”) for sales projections may perpetuate existing inequities for authors of color.
• Section V focuses on the marketing, distribution, and sale of books and how standard practices can disadvantage books by authors of color.

PRH Spring Book & Author Festival w/ Library Journal [Featuring ME!] and General Reminder About All Library Marketing Resources Via Publishers

 

Last week, I was a part of the event above. My part was pre-recorded:

The Horror!

With supernatural torments and ghostly encounters, these terrifying page-turners are not for the faint of heart.

Isabel Cañas, The Hacienda (Berkley)

Clay McLeod Chapman, Ghost Eaters: A Novel (Quirk Books)

Ramona Emerson, Shutter (Soho Crime)

Alma Katsu, The Fervor (Putnam) 

Josh Malerman, Daphne: A Novel (Del Rey)

Moderator: Becky Spratford, Readers' Advisory Specialist

There were many panels featuring a wide variety of authors across all of the PRH imprints, interviewed by library people. I missed the live event myself because I was presenting for another library that day. But, good news, you can still register to watch the recordings for free at this link.  

However, while I have your attention about this large scale event, I also wanted to remind you that EVERY publisher who has a library marketing person or website is listed on this LibraryReads page. 

So while PRH can do an all-day event because, well they are huge, don't forget that many of the publishers [big and small] have excellent webpages where they are uploading their own upcoming title presentations, information, and more on a regular basis.

Or, if you want to see a mix of titles from different publishers all at one time, the Adult Library Marketing Association hosts mini book buzzes regularly on YouTube here. These bring together reps from different publishers. I enjoy watching these to get a sense of the full picture of not only what is coming soon, but also, what the publishers are choosing to market. This is an easy way to get ahead of trends across the breadth of the publishing landscape.

Please remember, all of these programs about upcoming books are not just for those who have collection development duties. Anyone who interacts with any adult readers at the public library should be watching these. You can get a sense of what is coming soon, what other authors these titles are similar to, and, my favorite, get a great example of a quick way to book talk a title. These library marketers are all very good at giving you 1-2 sentences of plot and then a whole bunch of appeal.

So again, you can go back and watch the entire PRH Spring Book and Author Festival, but don't forget about using all of the library marketers as a general resource, on a regular basis.