Local or Self-Published Author Policy
Thank you for your interest in the Washington County Public Library. The library wishes to recognize the literary efforts of local/regional/self-published authors by including their works in the collection whenever appropriate.
In response to the large number of requests we receive from authors who want their materials in our collection, we have established the policy of applying the same criteria to the selection of local/regional/self-published authors as what is used in the selection of other materials in our collection.
To be considered for inclusion in our collection you must print and complete the attached form and submit it with your work.
Click or tap here for a machine-readable version of our form in accessible PDF format.
We do not consider works submitted in electronic format. Your work may be submitted in person at any library in our system or it can be submitted by mail. Once you have submitted your work for consideration, a librarian will contact you either by phone or email confirming your work has been received. Works received for consideration will be reviewed by the selector responsible for the collection in which your book might fall (fiction, non-fiction, children’s). The selector will consider the material in relation to the library’s collection development criteria and bring your work before the collection development committee for discussion. You will be notified by letter regarding the committee’s decision one month from receipt of your materials.
If your work is refused based on the Library’s guidelines, the library staff will hold the work for thirty (30) days for you to pick-up. Unsolicited work(s) received in the mail will not be returned.
Please understand that if your work is chosen for inclusion in the library’s collection, the library staff is under no obligation to purchase additional copies for the collection. If the library staff chooses to buy additional copies, they may not be directly purchased from you but from an intermediary source.
Due to limitations on staff time, we cannot discuss individual titles with authors.
If your work has been accepted for the library collection, the library will use its discretion in working with the author regarding library sponsored programming.
APPROVED BY THE WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON: September 25, 2012