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Who stocks your book?

Jay MandalJay Mandal
edited May 2009 in - Reading
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ac940/ukpublib.html

If you go to the above website, then choose your area, you can look at their online catalogue.

And, if you want to do something similar for Waterstone's ...

http://waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/home.do

then put the title of your book in (for title) and press search
then click on the title when it appears
go down and click on availability.

With any luck that should show you which branch(es) has(have) copies and give an idea as to how many.

Comments

  • josiehenleyjosiehenley
    My local Waterstone’s still has copies of Silence because they can’t return them (I signed them!) unlike the other Waterstone’s stores in Wales who returned theirs after the Wales Waterstone’s book of the month promotion. Amazon has it of course – 2 copies in stock at the moment, but it’s already gone out of stock once and then restocked. Tesco and WH Smith sell it online and several other online book stores but I don’t know whether they actually stock it or whether they order it when they get an order in. But Cardiff library doesn’t have one according to this search (thanks Jay!) so I’m going to have to fix that.
  • DaisyDaisy
    I found three of my children's books and my soon to be published non-fiction books on the Waterstone's website. As far as I know that means they are orderable from them and not that they have them on the shelves.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Daisy, you should be able to check availability, too - whether any branch stocks them.
  • josiehenleyjosiehenley
    yes I got quite addicted to Waterstone's little bars for my book! Green means they have at least 10 copies in stock, orange that they're low and red that they have only 1 copy left. Or something like that. I love it!
  • CarolCarol
    That's a useful tool.
  • josiehenleyjosiehenley
    forgot to mention how you do it, you go on the book's page and there's a button on the right, underneath the rating, saying 'check availability' and it takes you to a page that lists all the stores that stock the book with a little bar next to each one indicating stock levels. Sadly mine are all now red. But it was nice while it lasted.
  • Stan2Stan2
    You can buy mine on Amazon.
  • Stan2Stan2
    I found my book on Waterstones - wow! And my self-published history of our church is stocked by Bedfordshire libraries.
  • KJKJ
    I trawled through quite a few of the library sites and couldn't find my most recent book, though Hampshire have my last one. It is avail online through most of the normal retailers, but not (yet?) physically in bookshops. Ah well, early days...
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    edited May 2009
    Just remembered Borders (well, I didn't, actually - someone mentioned it on another thread). They're aware of my books, and stock the first edition of The Dandelion Clock. Not sure where, exactly. Perhaps they have a wherehouse! Must write that one down.

    For Spanish speakers:

    Estoy demasiado ca(n)sado.
  • RosalieRosalie
    I discovered Low Tide, Lunan Bay in a library in Brisbane, Australia, and also in one in New Zealand! (just by Googling my book title - sad!)
  • DaisyDaisy
    I did the 'availability' check thingy and, yes, some of my books are in some of the stores. (Low stock). Wow! I feel like a proper writer now.

    Two of my children's books are now out of print, but I discovered some lurking on Amazon and being sold second hand for a penny each. Hmmm.
  • josiehenleyjosiehenley
    Daisy, a penny each? buy them up and keep them to give as gifts! (all assuming the postage isn't huge)
  • DaisyDaisy
    They'd be £2.76 each. That's £2.75 for the postage and a penny for the book. They are all from different sellers. I think there is an organisation that does searches for second hand out of print books for people (probably more than one organisation), so some of them might be bought up eventually.
  • Author OnlineAuthor Online
    I know mine is in quite a few Waterstones - as for libraries there are a few of them also that I am aware of - mostly around the south, but some further afield as well. Can't be bothered to look on scamazon to see what they have ! Thanks for the link though Jay !
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    "We have copies of "The dandelion clock" in stock, which are issuing
    nicely, but nothing else, so I'll order some of each."

    Just received this from Essex libraries. :-)
  • DaisyDaisy
    That's good news.
  • CarolCarol
    Very good news.
  • Author OnlineAuthor Online
    Well done Jay !
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Might be of interest, especially to Louise.
  • MutleyMutley
    I'm stunned - the Leicestershire libraries stock my self published book of poetry. I had no idea.
  • DaisyDaisy
    That's good to know, Mutley. Maybe it's in others too.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    About time to see who's stocking your book(s)?
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    For Fay and anyone else who may be interested in checking availability of their books.
  • CarolCarol
    Mutley did you register for PLR?
    Leicestershire are within the data compiling counties- it's too late for this year but you will be eligible for 10/11 if you apply now.
  • DaisyDaisy
    edited July 2009
    Well, I wish I hadn't looked! My newest book is now stocked in less stores and no higher levels than there were at first. I hope it just means they are selling and they will order in more.

    I've just thought - my publisher told me about a week ago that they were waiting for a reprint, so hopefully that's a good sign.
  • CarolCarol
    Daisy, have you registered your book for PLR yet?
  • RandomguyRandomguy
    Strange! I donated a copy of my computer book to Oxfordshire library but it doesn't show on the list... Odd.
  • DaisyDaisy
    Carol, no I haven't. Wouldn't the publisher do that? I'll go and check my contract! I'm sure they do all that stuff.

    This morning they forwarded some review responses from autism/asperger charities for me to read. They are all good and two 'highly recommened' the book - so I feel more encouraged now.
  • CarolCarol
    No Daisy the publisher does not register your book for PLR- it is the writer's responsibility.

    Glad to hear about the good reviews, and it is a positive encouragement. :)
  • DaisyDaisy
    OK, thanks, Carol. I will check it out.
  • DaisyDaisy
    Well, thanks to Carol, I have learnt something today! I've never registered any of my published titles with PLR before as it never occurred to me that anyone would ask a library to get one of them in for them. I've done some checking on different UK library catalogue sites where you can check if a title is on their county/area library shelves. I didn't find any of my previous titles, so I guess that's good news in that I haven't missed any PLR payments. However, I have found my newest title (the asperger book) is on the shelves in quite a few libraries, so I will register with PLR quick smart. Maybe I'll register all my books with them just in case.

    Is there a single main UK library search/catalogue where I can check to see if anything else of mine is anywhere else?
  • dorothyddorothyd
    Daisy, I would recommend you join ALCAS as well. They get you royalties if anyone photocopies any part of your book, schools might do that. I get around £60 a year from them. Check them out. The membership fee is small and you get it back through the royalties.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Hi, Daisy. I've not found a single location. Let me know if you find one!
  • CarolCarol
    Yes Daisy register them all.
    Unfortunately you will have missed out on any possible payments paid next January as you need to have your book registered by the end of June each year- so any PLR you 'might' get will be from July 2010.
    But once it is registered that is it.
    And when your next book comes out make sure you register it straight away. :)
  • DaisyDaisy
    Yes, Dorothy, I've been a member of ALCAS for some years, so at least I've done something right!

    I'm now very annoyed with myself because I've discovered one of my children's titles is, in fact, in a few libraries. There might be others, but I'm now too depressed to search further. And too annoyed with myself. Well, I guess I haven't lost very much. Hope the libraries have put the money that should have been mine to good use!

    I've printed off the forms to register all my titles with PLR. I don't know if I could put my next book on there now (the publication date is October 2009).

    Until JUly 2010 I'll keep my fingers crossed that people will buy rather than borrow mine then!
  • CarolCarol
    I don't think you can register them until they are published, but I may be wrong.
    So make a note in your diary for October this year. :)
    A proportion of the libraries used for gathering data changes every so often, so you may find in future you get something, even if you don't now. :)
    (The money comes from the Government, and any money not paid out goes back into the PLR fund.)
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    http://www.writersnews.co.uk/writers_talkback/comments.php?DiscussionID=122812

    Authors could miss out on PLR

    (see thread)
  • CarolCarol
    Thanks Jay.
  • DaisyDaisy
    It would help if there was something in the author/publisher contract. Maybe something like:'The author undertakes to register for Public Lending Right if this is considered appropriate'. At least that way authors would be alerted to investigate or even just ask what that was all about. But, of course, the contract is all about protecting the publisher isn't it?!! I had an agent when my first three books were published and they didn't ever mention it either. When I joined the Society of Authors they mentioned joining ALCAS so I did straight away. Shame it doesn't occur to them to tell us about PLR aswell. Perhaps today with new authors they do.

    I've always thought the same as the author in the article: ie, authors must get a few pennies from each loan, but I assumed those who's books got put in libraries and borrowed would be told about it.

    My recent book was published on July 1st - probably the worst day in the PLR calender. I've probably only lost out on a very small amount though, so no big deal. It means a lot more to me at the moment that a few people have wanted to take a couple of my titles out of a library. If I'm honest, of course, I'd rather they went to a bookshop and actually ordered or bought it.
  • CarolCarol
    Hopefully both will happen Daisy.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Looks like the Glasgow branch of Waterstone's have bought a couple of my books. (I e-mailed some of the major branches a few weeks ago.)
  • CarolCarol
    That's good news Jay.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    For Louise. I think the answer's in here somewhere. Yell if you're stuck.
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