Dumb question about libraries

illiterwrite said:

Do authors make any money when libraries buy their books? Or do most libraries rely on book donations? Someone's arguing with me that it's just as beneficial to borrow books from libraries as buying books in stores (for the author, that is).

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willietheshakes said:

Not only do you make money when libraries buy copies of your book, you make money when people read your books from the library, in Canada at least. Not much, but it's something, and it continues if your book goes out of print. Your publisher will likely send you a Public Lending* contract to sign, as well as a Can-Copy* agreement - mine did. Of course, I have yet to fill either out and return them... should probably do that.

* Please note - names in the above post are possibly incorrect. I can barely remember my own at this point, let alone those of government programs. Too much time with the copyedit, too little sleep...

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willietheshakes said:

Not only do you make money when libraries buy copies of your book, you make money when people read your books from the library, in Canada at least. Not much, but it's something, and it continues if your book goes out of print. Your publisher will likely send you a Public Lending* contract to sign, as well as a Can-Copy* agreement - mine did. Of course, I have yet to fill either out and return them... should probably do that.

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Shadow_Ferret said:

Really? Do you have to pay for your use of the library?

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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What is the Public Lending Right Commission[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Public Lending Right (PLR) Commission, consisting of authors, librarians and publishers, was established in 1986 to administer a program of remuneration to Canadian authors for their eligible books catalogued in libraries across Canada. Operating under the administrative aegis of the Canada Council for the Arts, the PLR Commission receives annual funding from the federal government through the Department of Canadian Heritage. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]PLR payments are determined by sampling the holdings of a representative number of libraries. It is the title’s presence in one or more of these libraries, selected annually, that produces a payment. The number of copies found in a library is not taken into account. The available budget determines both the amount paid each time a book is found, as well as the maximum amount an author can earn. Cheques are issued in February of each year.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Registration period: 15 February to 1 May

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James D. Macdonald said:

Public libraries in the US are usually supported by public tax revenue. (People who don't live in a particular town often have to pay a fee to get check-out priviledges.)

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James D. Macdonald said:

And yes, libraries buy their books, and the author gets royalties from them. Library sales are important, especially for low-print-run and specialized books.

I love libraries for another reason: The number one reason anyone buys a book is that they've read and enjoyed another book by the same author. Libraries help me get those first-time readers.

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Linda Adams said:

Plus, here's another potential benefit. You find a book at the library and really like it. The library doesn't have all the author's books, so you go to the bookstore and buy the rest.

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