Libraries, Book Discovery & the Truth About Getting Your Book Read | Insider Advice for Authors

Everyone talks about BookTok, Amazon algorithms, and social media. But what if the most powerful book discovery engine is one most authors don't fully understand? In this Tertulia Office Hours session, we go behind the scenes with two library industry experts to uncover how libraries actually decide which books to buy, why some indie authors succeed while others fail, and what authors can do today to dramatically improve their chances of getting discovered. What You'll Learn ✅ How librarians really decide which books to purchase ✅ Why most author pitches to libraries fail ✅ The surprising reason donating books often doesn't help ✅ How libraries evaluate indie and self-published books ✅ Which reviews actually matter (and which don't) ✅ The importance of metadata—and why it may matter more than marketing ✅ How OverDrive, library ebooks, and discoverability work ✅ Why libraries are not "cannibalizing" book sales ✅ How authors can build meaningful relationships with librarians ✅ The future of reader discovery in a post-BookTok world Thank You to Our Expert Panel Guests 📚 Stephanie Anderson - Associate Director of Selection at BookOps, overseeing book selection and acquisitions for the New York Public Library system. 📚 Guy LeCharles Gonzalez - Publishing, library, and media veteran; longtime advocate for libraries and independent authors.