Celebrating libraries on #BorrowBoldly Day
We're celebrating libraries today in our #BorrowBoldly day over at Boldwood Books. As a child, I used to love visits to my local library (Guisborough in Teesside), picking out the books I wanted to read over the coming month. Back then, I had no aspirations of becoming a writer so I never imagined that one day the books I'd written would be available in the same library.
In my early days as an author before I joined Boldwood, North Yorkshire Libraries (the region where I live) were really supportive, which was especially kind when I had no track record of success. I was invited to speak about my journey to publication at several libraries across the region and I also took my Brownie pack to one of the smaller libraries – Eastfield – as part of their book lover badge. It was such a special moment seeing my book, Searching for Steven (now New Beginnings at Seaside Blooms) on the shelves.
I returned briefly to Scarborough Library in late October 2019 when Ulverscroft (who run the uLibrary app and supply our audios and large print books to libraries) were doing a promotion in the lobby.
I wasn't much help that day as everyone I seemed to speak to told me they hated romance books and I find it hard not to take comments like that personally, but it was lovely to meet some of the Ulverscroft team and find out more about how the app works.
In late 2021, I was extremely flattered when Middlesbrough Library invited me to be their author of the month and in September 2022, Stockton-on-Tees Libraries invited me to speak at Norton library. The team there created the most incredible display of my books as well as providing fabulous book-themed cupcakes.
The talk went so well that I was invited back the following year as part of their Crossing the Tees Literary Festival. I hosted a workshop on the Saturday in Guisborough Library – the library from my childhood - and spoke on a romance author panel on the Sunday with fellow Boldwood authors Jane Lovering and Lisa Hobman.
Last October, East Yorkshire Libraries hosted a contemporary romance and historical romance panel as part of their Festival of Words and I was delighted to join Sharon Booth and Rhoda Baxter/Jeevani Charika on the contemporary panel, signing books afterwards. Last year, Northumberland Libraries also welcomed me as part of a virtual panel of romance authors.
Every time I'm in a library, it's an exciting moment to spot any of my books on the shelves … although also exciting if they're not there because that probably means they're being borrowed. When I'm visiting somewhere new, I usually nip into the library and do a little search for my books and those of my closest writing friends. It's still a 'wow' moment when I see any.
Libraries are such a great resource and I'm honoured to have my paperbacks, hardbacks, large print copies and audiobooks stocked in various libraries across the UK, as well as available digitally via the uLibrary app and other tech.
When you borrow books in whatever format from a UK library, you're supporting your library but you're also your favourite authors as we do receive payment via the PLR scheme (Public Lending Rights). All royalties help keep writers writing.
For full transparency, there sadly isn't a scheme like that for borrows overseas so the author doesn't receive any payment beyond the small royalty on the initial purchase of the book. Therefore if any readers overseas are also members of subscription services like Kindle Unlimited and are debating whether to borrow a book from a UK author via that or the library, the subscription service means the author will receive a small payment as opposed to no royalties.
Thank you to all the amazing library staff who have supported me on my journey and who champion romance authors and thank you to all the readers who have borrowed my books from libraries. So very grateful.
Big hugs
Jessica xx