I’ve spoken (and hosted blog guests) about libraries before, but having seen posts on social media about the benefits of libraries to readers, I thought it might be nice to consider how they benefit authors.
Libraries act as a place of refuge, a quiet sanctuary you can visit and relax in for a while regardless of your social status, because entry is free. You can not just read or check books out, you can also use a computer, a printer, browse newspapers and journals you normally don’t have access to, without spending an extra dime beyond the nominal library fees.
As I’ve said before, libraries have shaped me into who I am today, and I’ll always hold so much love for them. Here’s why I think they work very well for authors:
1. Providing space to learn, grow, research, write: Since libraries are free and quiet, they provide a great space for an author to do their research, hold critique group sessions and attend free or subsidized writing workshops. Most of The Blue Monsoon was written at the branches of National Library Singapore.
2. Stocking physical books: But of course! Libraries are book depositories, so they buy books written by authors. Depending on demand, a library can buy dozens of copies of a book, and the author gets paid their share for each purchase. My books, You Beneath Your Skin, The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon are available at nearly 400 libraries around the world, from Australia, Singapore, to the UK, USA and Canada, among other countries.
3. Purchasing E-books: Most modern libraries now lend e-books. The price of an e-book for a library is set up to six times higher for a library than on a normal book platform. This means the author earns more when a library acquires an e-book. The library can lend out an e-book for a limited number of times before it expires, so the same book will have to be purchased multiple times if there is demand and the library’s budget can accommodate it. This puts more money in the author’s pocket. The more in-demand a book is, the more the books by the author would be purchased, so if you want to support your favorite authors, checking out their books from the library helps.
4. Word-of-mouth: This really is the biggest benefit for authors, in my opinion. A reader can check out your book for free, and if they like it, they will recommend it to others. They will often buy a copy of a book they like–I know I’ve bought copies of library books that I loved. Getting a book from the library is often a great way of discovering a new author. Some libraries host book clubs and hold author events–direct win for an author!
Other than nourishing society in so many ways (hosting citizenship classes, ESL classes, providing access to autism support kits, developmental toys, and language learning databases) libraries are a boon for authors. I hope the minority of authors who think libraries eat into their sales come around to seeing the benefits they provide to the writing community.
Libraries are perhaps the only sheltering and nurturing space available to all irrespective of gender, citizenship, religion and the other labels that divide us.
Inside the library you’re a human, and that is all.
Do you support your local library? Have libraries been an important part of your life? Do you agree that libraries should be protected at all costs?
My Amazon-bestselling literary crime novels, The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon are on Kindle Unlimited now. Add to Goodreads or snag a copy to make my day ! And if you’d like to read a book outside the series, you can check out You Beneath Your Skin. Find all info about my books on my Amazon page or Linktree.
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I absolutely love my local library. It also lends ebooks on various platforms. That’s the only reason I was able to meet my reading goals in the last two years. I also got to enjoy different genre that I otherwise won’t have explored. Interesting to know about ebooks. Wonderful income source for authors. 🙂
Absolutely! I support libraries. I am currently aboard in the US and am sitting in a library right now as I read this. However, it is not quiet! 🙂 The man in a a wheelchair is swearing his head off in audible terms. Whatever he is doing is causing some kind of frustration. There are other conversations going on around the space.
Thanks for the info re e-books and the benefits to authors. I was not aware.
I had started believing that libraries and small bookstores are dying, thanks to Amazon, Google, Kindle, and ChatGPT. This post gives me hope.
That’s so good to hear! Fingers crossed — with any luck, libraries will only become more popular in the future.
What an interesting perspective. I always wondered how libraries lent out ebooks so that’s something I learnt today.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you found the post interesting.
I started reading regularly thanks to a library. It must be the early 2000s and libraries were a rarity back then. I had a membership and borrowed books day after day. These days borrowing libraries are a rarity and I haven’t stepped into one since decades. It is unfortunate, really.
I remember those times. Seeing and visiting a library always felt like such a special experience, and the libraries themselves were such important landmarks in my memory. I love that libraries were able to propagate over the years, and I desperately hope that they stay firmly fixed in our future.
Hi Damyanti – I use our library… and at that time when I asked they didn’t stock your books … I must ask again (and will), even though I have them here. My recommendations come from bloggers, or via a reputable source BBC, or good journal … but I just being informed and learning. Thanks for this – cheers Hilary
It’s so sweet of you to check, Hilary! Thank you for supporting my books and my blog.
Libraries are one of the best places man created. Or, should I say, one of the few best places man created. I used to love sitting in my school and college library, leafing through books, checking out the hundreds of books lining the shelves and forgetting the world outdoors. I haven’t visited one in a long time. 🙁
When I step into a library, it feels like I’m leaving the worries of everyday life at the doorstep and entering a whole new world where anything is possible. It’s magic. I hope you get to indulge your love of visiting libraries soon!
Libraries are basically the original WeWork – a place to be productive without all the weird cult vibes, haha.
🤣🤣 I love the analysis!
Oh, I love libraries! Just walking into one stimulates my author brain. Sometimes when I’m writing at home, I’ll have a library ambiance YouTube video on my 2nd monitor.
Absolutely, I love those! They feel so comforting and familiar. When I don’t have time to emerge from my writing cave, the atmospheric library videos are the next best thing!
Or, for short-sighted governments, libraries are one of the first areas in which to make cuts, as an alternative to making the wealthy pay fair taxes. Unfortunately there are only a handful of politicians in my country who share your understanding of their value in creating a fairer, better educated, more connected and happier society. :¬[
The sad truth. It’s so disconcerting to watch as the pursuit of wealth and power undermines the maintenance of everyday necessities and valuable amenities which should be prioritized.
Absolutely, libraries are essential, especially for people, including children, who can’t afford to buy books. It’s human intelligence. 🙂
I fully agree. That’s why I find local libraries to be such an integral part of their communities, and I’m so grateful that I had access to some incredible libraries as a child.
Absolutely, Damyanti! Libraries should and must be supported at all costs. Every society needs them but I also see how they are no longer as popular as they used to be even a decade ago. We do not have a local library nearby in the area where we live, but, of course, in principle, if we did have one, I’d so anything to support it. Growing up, coming from a book-loving Bengali household, our lives always revolved around books and libraries – be it the school library or the one in our town were a very essential part of our lives and you know what – we all read voraciously and obviously, one couldn’t afford to buy them all. Sadly, things have changed so much nowadays!
I know, it’s sad to think that libraries might be needed or appreciated less and less as time goes on! There are so many incredible libraries out there and it would be a tragedy for them to be neglected.
Our local library has a trailer that visits each shopping center in turn so that makes it convenient for us oldies and apart from that we have a reasonable library in this retirement village.
That’s such a lovely practice!
I love to support my local library and I should bring them a copy of my book! Thanks for the inspiration, Damyanti.
I’m glad the post inspired you, Pam!
Libraries are certainly great for both readers and authors. When I grew up my family did not have a lot of money but I read a lot of books. I borrowed them for free from the local library. “Nearly 400 libraries around the world..” That is quite impressive. Congratulations.
Libraries have done so much for so many, and I hope they keep bringing joy to many generations to come. Thank you for sharing, and for the kind words!
I am a former librarian (cataloguer) so know libraries from inside and outside. As others have said, they are a priceless resource for everyone, including writers.
Becoming a librarian was my childhood dream! Being surrounded by books, day and night, sounded like heaven to me. Books will always be my sanctuary.
Libraries have been my escape and my inspiration. They’re more than just books—they’re community lifelines. Without them, knowledge becomes a privilege, not a right. Protecting them isn’t optional; it’s essential.
Community lifelines is the perfect way to describe them. Everyone deserves to have a library at their fingertips.
I wouldn’t be the person I am today without libraries. Libraries support community literacy, so of course they should be protected
Neither would I. And I think many of my literary friends and fellow bookworms would say the same thing. I hope libraries continue to shape the future generations and create just as much of a positive impact as they had on us.
I sure hope so, but with all these book bans, I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion in the US.
I don’t know any book lovers who can afford to buy all the books they want to read. I’m sure some can, just not among my friends.
Nor among mine. My own TBR list is long enough, and the new additions never stop. It’ll probably take years to read them all!
I usually bring this up when people talk about the disadvantages of immortality.
They’re so important.
I fully agree.
Libraries are beneficial in so many ways!
Absolutely!
Spot-on post, Damyanti, and you reminded me of the path to success. Weekly visits to the library not only honed my reading skills, but gave me the insights to thrive instead of just survive in the corporate world. Later in life, questions or problems I came up against in the workplace, I found an author had already written about the solution. Thanks for sharing this important post!
Yes, books give so much more than just entertainment or escapism. The stories we read, no matter how fantastical, have their roots in reality and the lessons we pick up from them can be so relevant to our lives. You’re living proof of that!
Your timing for this article is perfect, Damyanti. Feb. 1st (in America) is “Take your child to the Library Day”. I had planned to post about it but ran out of room! I’ll be sharing yours.
Picking random books out of the library is better for us than following a computer algorithm down the rabbit hole.
What a happy coincidence! I love how there’s a day dedicated to that. The library can be such a magical landmark in one’s childhood.