Libraries and Lending Rights

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the best writers are voracious readers. But aside from giving you access to innumerable books to help refine your writing, libraries play other important roles in the creative lives of writers. Your local public library gives you access to:

• research topics and writing prompts just by browsing the shelves and books

• the internet (including access to some family history research sites)

• the wealth of knowledge possessed by librarians

• author events and book signing sessions so you can meet other writers

• a quiet change of scenery to help you work on your writing project.

Aside from my local library, what other libraries are in Melbourne?

State Library of Victoria

If you are not already a member of the State Library of Victoria, stop reading this, go to their website and sign up now. It will give you access to a wealth of information right through your computer screen. I also highly recommend a visit to its magnificent building on La Trobe/Swanston Street next time you’re in town. Aside from reference books, an SLV membership gives you:

• Access to Australian and Victorian newspapers online, on microfilm and the original print versions. So if your story is set in Darwin during Christmas in 1974 and you wanted to flesh it out with what was going on then (and something BIG was!), you can find out here. Newspapers are also great sources for advertisements that can help you add descriptive detail to settings, clothing, hairstyles, electronic products, food, you name it, from whatever time you’re writing in.

• Access to photographs, maps, telephone and street directories of locations and settings.

PMI Victorian History Library (Prahran)

This little treasure trove contains pretty much anything published about Victorian history. It also includes a massive collection of railway books from around the world and a comprehensive collection of sports books, school histories and newsletters from Victorian historical societies.

How do I get my book into the library?

If you have published a book in Australia or as an Australian resident, you need to give one copy to the National Library under the legal deposit provisions of the Copyright Act. They prefer an electronic version, if possible.  If you want it in some of the 14,000 libraries in Australia, it gets trickier.

There are four main library suppliers in Australia and a collection of smaller suppliers for the school library market. If you are using a traditional or small-press publisher, ask them about what they will do to promote your book to these library suppliers. The answer may be “not much”. In this case, or if you’re a self-publisher, your best option is to get someone who is a member of a local library to request your book. Local libraries will try and support a local author if they can.

In all cases, getting your book into libraries is part of your marketing plan. You need to be generating enough buzz about your book to make libraries aware of it. You can do this by:

• offering to do an author talk at a library

• working hard to get it formally reviewed in state and national newspapers

What are lending rights?

You make money when a library buys your book but not when people borrow it, right? Nope. Years ago, the Australian Government established the Australian Lending Right Scheme to help compensate authors for the loss of income through the free use of their books in public libraries.  In 2023, the Government changed the underwriting legislation to include e-books in this formula. If you have a book in a library, visit the website to register yourself and your books. For more on the scheme, read the FAQs.