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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
Authors make a living by selling their books for money.

You told an author you would read the fruit of their labors for free without giving them money.

That was terribly rude of you. Authors know that people use libraries all the time, or borrow from their friends, but you do not TELL THE AUTHOR THAT!

[b]I mean, even my socially-challenged autistic teen knows not to step in it like this. This goes beyond a metal health disorder. [/b]

I hope you're a troll.

PS: libraries are not tacky. 
[/quote]

Libraries buy books.[/quote] <-- Exactly.

Libraries buy many many many books.[/quote]

There are thousands of libraries in the country. There are large library systems that may buy 100 copies of a title. There are potentially many hundreds of libraries buying copies in all 50 states: lots of book sales. Even if a system only buys one or two copies, that’s still may be more than one reader will.

Many people may read each copy bought by a library so it means more readers for the author than one person’s purchase and potential word of mouth talk about the book. Reading that book means readers may want their next book, and the library will buy it which in turn builds the author’s career.

Word-of-mouth and, nowadays, Tik Tok videos drive interest. If there is a lot of interest in a book, libraries buy even more copies. The lone reader does not.

I’ve never met an author who had a bad word to say about libraries and I’ve met many. Many people will read a book for a library-sponsored book club. Libraries will sometimes buy say, 20 more copies for these meetings.

Libraries hold author events/festivals/panels/readings, and, in my experience, the authors usually sell their books at these. Publishers will also arrange for these to be held at libraries in order to sell copies or they donate copies as giveaways for attendees. They wouldn’t do this if it weren’t good for business and the author’s career. The point is to get books in many people’s hands, for recognition of that book and for future sales of the author’s subsequent books. Libraries work with authors, publishers and bookstores to bring the books in to sell, as well as libraries being large purchasers themselves. Libraries help authors’ careers and keep publishers in business. Everyone benefits.

(Retired librarian/administrator for 34 years.)[/quote]

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