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Davis, California

Monday, March 18, 2024

Yolo County Libraries showcase new selections

DIANA LI / AGGIE

Library introduces shelves for self-published local authors

The Yolo County Library has a brand new program in place to support local, self-published works by authors in the area. The libraries are introducing a shelf into each library that will house books from writers in the community who have written and independently published their own books.

“We want to honor these local authors and provide access to these materials. Libraries always get offers from people who want to donate books to us,” said Scott Love, the manager of West Yolo Regional and the Mary L. Stephens branch. “There’s been a change in the industry so that now it’s easier for an individual to self-publish a book. So, for that reason, we had a boom in the number of people who hoped to add their works to our collection.”

The library has already received several books from local, self-published authors, and hopes to place them on its shelves in the coming months after a review. They plan to keep these books on their shelves for one year, after which they will re-evaluate each book and decide whether or not to switch it out with another local author’s submission. Each Yolo County branch will have a shelf devoted to these local works, aside from the South Davis Montgomery branch at Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School, due to a lack of shelf space.

Love also stated that, depending on how successful this book program is, the library may later include other local self-published works of art on these shelves, such as student films or independent music. Writing and publishing a book used to be a nearly impossible task, especially as an independent writer without the backing of a publishing company. But 21st-century technology has made the materials and process much more inexpensive and accessible to writers who want their voices to be heard, and the Yolo County Library’s involvement in helping these writers distribute their work models what the future of independent artistry could become.

“Since we’ve announced it, I’ve seen already a minimum of a half-dozen people come in and bring us their books,” said Lana Harman, a Youth Services librarian in Yolo County. “At this time it’s just books, […] but it could be expanded to DVDs and CDs.”

For information on submitting your own work for consideration, contact Lana Harman or visit the Yolo County Library’s website for more information. Be sure to check out the Local Author’s shelf on your next visit to Davis’ Mary L. Stephens Library on F and 14th Street.

Written by: Ahash Francis — city@theaggie.org

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