[edmjill]

I just need to rant (and I realize that there is nothing I can or should do about the following... but it still steams my clams!)

I work full time at a college. I teach writing. I have three novels out (paperback and ebook, released).

I'm kind of miffed (and a little bit hurt) that the school where I work full time (for ten years now) does not have any of my books in their library.

My books are available in the libraries of other local colleges and universities, as well as in the libraries of schools from which I graduated, but they're not at the library of the school where I work.

This is a teeny bit embarrassing since students sometimes want to get my books. Many of them are broke, so I wish they could just borrow them rather than buy them. (When they graduate and get good jobs... and I have more books out, well, then, I hope they'll buy them!) Instead, I have given away several copies (more than 250 over the last six semesters) of my first novel because I don't want them not to be able to read my stuff.

If I taught something unrelated to writing - accounting, let's say - then I'd still be irked, but less so.

The school library does have books by other people connected to the college (staff or alumni), so this isn't a case of conflict of interest or something like that. And it's not a case of the folks at the school library being unaware of my books (staff were invited to my launch parties).

So, there, now I've ranted. I feel better! But I'd still like to know how you'd react if this were you.

 

[AmsterdamAssassin]

What if you gifted your books to the library? Did you try that?

 

[edmjill]

Should have mentioned that!  Yes, I gave a few copies to a few of the librarians, but they kept them for personal use and did not enter them into the catalogue...

 

[Jan Hurst-Nicholson]

Should have mentioned that! Yes, I gave a few copies to a few of the librarians, but they kept them for personal use and did not enter them into the catalogue...

Put a dedication in them 'donated to the .... library' by the author'

 

[D.L. Shutter]

Ed

Odd, sounds like a prejudice. Most schools proudly stack up their professor's works in the bookstores and the library, even genre stuff.

Are your titles indie releases?

 

[edmjill]

First was traditional publish & 2nd and 3rd are indie.  All three books are in libraries elsewhere. 

I just needed to rant because it seems dumb to not have them in the school library... The books are no longer new releases, so at this point it isn't worth trying to push it.  Just irks me. 

Many of my students are here in international students visas so they don't have a card for the regular public libraries around town. 

Oh well... maybe they'll get book 4 on their shelves 

Thanks for the feedback from those who chimed in.  Appreciate it!

 

[AndreSanThomas]

Stop handing out copies to the students.  Tell them to request the book from the school library.  If 250 people had requested your book from them, I can't believe they wouldn't have gotten a copy or two by now.

 

[Becca Mills]

Stop handing out copies to the students. Tell them to request the book from the school library. If 250 people had requested your book from them, I can't believe they wouldn't have gotten a copy or two by now.

Yup. Libraries, including university libraries, are very "customer-service" oriented these days. If there's demand for something, they'll get it. Also, most university libraries have an established mechanism -- an online form, a liaison -- for faculty to request particular books be added to the collection.

 

[vrabinec]

If it was me, I'd make it required reading. Anyone see The Freshman? Fleeber had it right.

 

[Dawnchapel]

Ask to talk to the selector! They're usually very accommodating.

 

[John Daulton]

Stop handing out copies to the students. Tell them to request the book from the school library. If 250 people had requested your book from them, I can't believe they wouldn't have gotten a copy or two by now.

I think this is the issue.