How to get a nonfiction book into libraries

How libraries buy print books

Libraries rarely buy from authors. They order from wholesalers that consolidate thousands of publishers into one account, one invoice and one delivery, often with the books already processed for the shelf. Ingram describes its library service as cataloging and processing for a "box to shelf-ready delivery", with curated lists picked by MLS-degreed librarians. So the first question is not "will my library want it?" but "can my library order it from the vendor it already uses?"

Ingram. If you publish through IngramSpark and turn on distribution, Ingram's distribution FAQ says it sends your book's information to more than 40,000 bookstores, libraries and retailers, and lists it for sale at the wholesale discount you set. The same page is plain about the limits: Ingram sells only to qualifying businesses and institutions, there is no guarantee a store or library will order, Ingram cannot tell you which library bought a copy, listings can take 2 to 6 weeks to appear, and a distribution fee of 1.875% of list price comes off each sale. You also choose whether the book is returnable. Returns cost you the wholesale price of each book, plus $3.00 a book if you have them shipped back to a US address.

Baker & Taylor. For decades it was the other big library wholesaler, but it is closing. NPR reported on January 7, 2026 that the company, which had partnered with more than 5,000 US libraries, was set for closure, and that around 2,000 libraries had set up new accounts with Ingram. NISO reported in October 2025 that it would shut down operations in January 2026. Baker & Taylor's own website did not load when we checked on October 21, 2026.

KDP Expanded Distribution. If you publish only on Amazon KDP, its Expanded Distribution page says booksellers and libraries buy paperbacks from large distributors, and enrolling makes your paperback available to them. It is free, covers paperbacks only (not hardcovers), pays a 40% royalty less printing, can take up to eight weeks, and guarantees no orders. The ISBN must not already be submitted for distribution through another service. The Scribe Method's chapter on distribution recommends most authors use both KDP and IngramSpark, with Amazon distribution turned off in IngramSpark; in that setup, Ingram is what reaches libraries.

Ebooks and audiobooks: OverDrive and hoopla

Libraries do not buy ebooks from Amazon or Apple. They license them through library platforms, and patrons borrow them in apps such as Libby. OverDrive describes itself as free ebooks, audiobooks and magazines from your library with a library card. hoopla, the digital service of Midwest Tape, says it lets patrons borrow immediately, without waiting for a copy to come free.

Individual authors do not usually sign up with these platforms directly. hoopla's page for content providers is a contact form for companies and lists reach across the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. OverDrive's publisher pages were down for maintenance on October 21, 2026. The route most self-published authors use is a distributor. Draft2Digital's partners page, for example, lists these library channels:

Listing the ebook on a platform is not the same as a library buying it. Libraries still choose what to license. One signal readers can send: in the Libby app, a title your library does not own can be tagged Notify Me, which alerts the reader if a library buys it, though Libby says not all libraries offer the feature. Ask your launch team to do it if they use Libby.

Audiobooks follow the same logic. Booklist's submission rules say audiobooks it reviews must be available to libraries through the usual platforms (it names Axis360, OverDrive and cloudLibrary), that it accepts no Audible-exclusive or iTunes-exclusive content, and that audiobooks must have human narration. If libraries matter to you, check that your audiobook's distribution terms let it reach them.

What librarians look for

Selectors lean on review journals written for them. Boston Public Library's advice to authors says the best way to be considered is an independent, positive review in a major journal, and names Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist and Publishers Weekly. Detroit Public Library's local authors policy says some works, especially nonfiction, may not be considered without professional reviews.

Two details explain why these matter. Booklist says everything in its main review sections is recommended for purchase by libraries, and that small and medium-sized libraries get special consideration. Library Journal says its reviews are licensed to book distributors and vendors, so they can appear where selectors order. Booklist gets more than 60,000 submissions a year. The editorial reviews guide compares the paid options in more detail, and the launch timeline shows how early these deadlines fall.

Beyond reviews, selectors look at what any buyer would: a professional cover and edit, a clear subject category, a fair list price, and whether people in their community will ask for it. Booklist says its selections weigh both quality and expected demand.

The Library of Congress PCN

A Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) printed on your copyright page helps libraries catalog the book. The Library of Congress's PCN FAQ says that when the number is printed in the book, it gives access to the bibliographic record and speeds book processing for libraries and book dealers. Self-published books cannot get full Cataloging in Publication data; the Library's CIP membership page lists self-publishers as ineligible and points them to the PCN program instead.

• Who: US authors and publishers only. Self-publishers apply through the Library's PrePub Book Link (program page).
• When: before publication. Already published books and ebook-only books are not eligible (scope).
• Cost and timing: free; allow up to 30 calendar days.
• Your obligation: send the Library a copy of the book when it is published.

Apply once the title, format and ISBN are settled. A PCN does not mean any library will buy the book; it removes one small obstacle.

Pitching your local library

Your own library system is the natural first ask: each library we read has its own route for local authors. Look on its website for a "suggest a purchase" form or a local author policy and follow it exactly. The two we read ask for similar things:

• Boston Public Library asks for an email with title, author, ISBN, publisher, publication date, page count and price; a link to the book's website and any reviews or press; a short description with the intended audience; and where to buy it. It says it cannot reply if the book is not selected, and donated copies face the same criteria as purchases.
• Detroit Public Library defines local authors as city residents, acknowledges submissions within 30 days and decides within 90. Accepting a copy does not mean it will buy more, and if it does, it may not buy them from you.

Keep the pitch to one page: what the book covers, who locally will ask for it, its reviews and press, and the ordering details (ISBN, list price, wholesaler). Ask your readers to request it too; a patron request is evidence of demand, which a note from the author is not.

Author events at libraries

Libraries host talks, and for a nonfiction author a talk is often the better pitch. Policies vary, so read your library's before you ask. Three we read:

• Knox County Public Library in Tennessee considers readings only for books already in its collection, prefers national or recognized regional publishers and topics with broad local appeal, and lets local authors sell copies after a 15 to 20 minute reading and questions, with a table but no staff help on sales.
• Orange County Library System in Florida does not generally host single-author signings. It runs three to five Local Author Festivals a year, welcomes self-published authors whose books are professionally edited, lets them sell books but no other products or services, and expects them to help promote the event. It encourages talks related to the book's topic rather than about the book itself.
• Detroit Public Library schedules its Author Series only from books in its collection, and lets local authors reserve a room for their own signing at no cost.

The pattern is clear: get the book into the collection first, then offer a useful program built on one idea from the book, and bring your own audience. The launch event guide covers the run of show, and the bookstore signing guide covers selling at the table.

What most authors get wrong

• Dropping off a copy and hoping. Boston Public Library says donated books face the same criteria as purchases, and sends the ones it does not add to its Friends' book sales.
• No library-ready listing. If the book is only on Amazon without Expanded Distribution or Ingram, most libraries cannot order it.
• Missing the review window. Library Journal wants copies six months ahead and Booklist four to six. After publication, those doors are mostly closed.
• Forgetting the PCN. It must be done before publication and cannot be added to an ebook-only or already published book.
• Pitching the author, not the reader. Selectors buy for their patrons. Show who in the community will borrow the book.

Put the PCN, the review deadlines and your library pitches into the free launch planner so each lands in the right week. Scribe Media, which makes this site, sells book publishing and marketing services; if you want a person to look at your plan, book a free consult.