Self-Publishing and Collection Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries

by Robert P. Holley (Editor)

Overview

The current publishing environment has experienced a drastic change in the way content is created, delivered, and acquired, particularly for libraries. With the increasing importance of digital publishing, more than half the titles published in the United States are self-published. With this growth in self-published materials, librarians, publishers, and vendors have been forced to rethink channels of production, distribution, and access as it applies to the new content. Self-Publishing and Collection Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries will address multiple aspects of how public and academic libraries can deal with the increase in self-published titles. While both academic and public libraries have started to grapple with the burgeoning issues associated with self-published books, many difficulties remain. To develop effective policies and procedures, stakeholders must now tackle questions associated with the transformation of the publishing landscape. Obstacles to self-publishing include the lack of reviews, the absence of cataloging and bibliographic control, proprietary formats for e-books, and the difficulty for vendors in providing these works.General chapters will include information on reviewing sources, cataloging and bibliographic control, and vendor issues. Information addressing public libraries issues will highlight initiatives to make self-published materials available at the Los Gatos Public Library in California and the Kent District Library in Michigan. Chapters on academic library issues will address why self-published materials are important for academic institutions, especially those with comprehensive collecting interests. Several self-published authors focus on how they attempt to make their works more suitable for public libraries. Finally, the book concludes with a bibliographic essay on self-publishingAs the term "traditional publishing" begins to fade and new content producers join the conversation, librarians, publishers, and vendors will play an important role in facilitating and managing the shift.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781557537218
Publisher:	Purdue University Press
Publication date:	09/15/2015
Series:	Charleston Insights in Library, Archival, and Information Sciences
Pages:	170
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Robert P. Holley is a professor at the Wayne State University School of Library and Information Science. He is a recognized expert in collection development. After having been a library administrator-including head of collection development-at two large research libraries, he has taught collection development since 1993 to thousands of students. His teaching has given him a broader understanding of collection development in all types of libraries. He has over 150 publications, including five edited books and multiple conference presentations. His current focus is on intellectual freedom and on emerging trends in self-publishing, the out-of-print book market, and scholarly communication. He writes a column for Against the Grain where he often takes contrarian views on current issues. Holley is a frequent speaker at the Charleston Conference and also has been active in the American Library Association.

Table of Contents

Foreword, by Mitchell Davis
Introduction, by Robert P. Holley
1 E-Book Self-Publishing and the Los Gatos Library: A Case Study, by Henry Bankhead
2 Supporting Self-Publishing and Local Authors: From Challenge to Opportunity, by Melissa DeWild and Morgan Jarema
3 Do Large Academic Libraries Purchase Self-Published Books to Add to Their Collections?, by Kay Ann Cassell (Rutgers University)
4 Why Academic Libraries Should Consider Acquiring Self-Published Books, by Robert P. Holley
5 Digital Authoring, Electronic Scholarship, and Libraries: From Walled Garden to Wilderness, by Donald Beagle
6 Book Vendors and Self-Publishing, by Bob Nardini
7 Ingram and Independent Publishing, by Robin Cutler
8 Review Sources of Interest to Librarians for Independently Published Books, by Eleanor I. Cook
9 Self-Publishing and Bibliographic Control, by Robert P. Holley
10 Self-Publishing and Libraries: The Slush Pile Is the Platform, by Tom Bruno
11 An Indie Author in a Library World, by AlTonya Washington
12 The Romance of Self-Publishing, by Elizabeth Nelson
13 Alacrity House Publishing, by Frankie L. Colton
14 Self-Publishing: A Bibliographic Essay, by Joseph D. Grobelny

Editorial Reviews

★ 02/15/2016
For those who believe "self-published" still equals "vanity press," this compendium of essays edited by Holley (library & information science, Wayne State Univ.) will be a revelation. Presenting perspectives from self-published authors and collection development librarians, this book serves as an important step in bringing an often-overlooked array of information the attention it deserves. The essays describe how both established authors and previously unpublished writers have discovered that self-publishing can mean higher incomes, better control over content, and the ability to publish faster and more easily, particularly when limited-interest, scholarly subject matter would not justify the cost of commercial publication. Yet for libraries, these authorial benefits bring some drawbacks for acquisitions and collection development. The absence of editorial control may lead to poor quality content, the lack of professional reviews makes finding good self-published materials elusive and time consuming, and purchasing is hampered by traditional vendors that don't handle much self-published material. Bibliographic control is also an issue, with many self-published items lacking the prescribed bibliographic metadata associated with commercially released material. VERDICT Essential reading for librarians and authors interested in the future of publishing.—Margaret Sylvia, St. Mary's Univ. Lib., San Antonio

Library Journal