Earlier this month saw the annual meeting of the American Library Association (ALA). Long-time indie supporter Guy LeCharles Gonzalez was there and reported back some invaluable insights. It follows a number of items featuring libraries and the issue of pricing, specifically the way librarians believe e-books should be priced for library usage. This time, the main point of interest is on discovery, and two related questions: what are librarians looking for from indie titles? And how can indie authors make their titles easier for librarians looking for those things to find (and, crucially, to go ahead and order once they have been found)?
ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway
The discussion came during the panel “Indie Titles, Fair Chances: A Selector's Toolkit for Smart Picks.”
Metadata Still Matters
The main focus of the discussion was on metadata. Which I find interesting because I am used to reading articles telling me that metadata as we know it is a bit of a thing of the past. Or rather, that it has completely changed in the age of AI, when search is no longer about finding keywords but instead about holding conversations with technology.
The panel pointed out the limitations of AI for determining the criteria that really matter to librarians. What librarians really want to seek out are authors with a proven track record in the area they are writing about. And that means when they come across a title of interest (likely to be either one with a local connection or one that will appeal to areas of the community they curate for that are underserved by traditional publishing) it needs to be easy for them to establish the author's credentials.
But basic metadata was also vitally important, such as categorization and contents information, readily available on a website. This is the kind of thing it seems many traditional publishers are really not that good at, but it's something where many indie authors excel, in no small part thanks to constant reminders and guidance from indie champions like Joanna Penn.
The Role of Reviews
A final point that is worth making. Reviews were seen as crucial social proof to assist librarians in making quick but accurate curation decisions. Specifically mentioned for indie authors were reviews in Foreword, Kirkus Indie, PW Select, and BlueInk Review, with a reminder to make sure metadata were always updated to include new reviews in these places.
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