City of Parramatta Libraries and Your Book

If you have written or illustrated a book that you would like City of Parramatta Libraries to include in its collection it needs to meet the following selection criteria:

• Community relevance and demand 
• Extent of publicity and promotion 
• Subject matter, style, accuracy, level, language and format 
• Relationship and importance to the whole collection 
• Construction, quality of presentation, ease of use and suitability for public lending 
• Date of publication and/or currency of information 
• Price
• Obtainability through library suppliers 
• Availability elsewhere in the community 
• Legal, digital rights management or copyright compliance 

City of Parramatta Libraries’ books are selected and purchased by our suppliers who are provided with detailed descriptions of what is popular with our community. Books that meet these detailed descriptions may be purchased for the Library. Books are also purchased if requested by customers through the Library Catalogue.

Providing your title is suitable for addition to City of Parramatta Libraries’ collection, and there is customer demand for your title, it will be purchased and added to our collection by the Library’s suppliers.

The process used to purchase new author/illustrator titles through the Library’s suppliers is described below.

Purchasing Physical Books

City of Parramatta Libraries purchase physical resources through James Bennett library supplier. To make your publication visible to all libraries that purchase resources from James Bennett, complete and submit the Publishers Services form in the ‘What information do I need to provide?’ section of the James Bennett website.

The website also has tips and frequently asked questions to assist authors with distribution and sales.

Purchasing Digital Books (eBooks & eAudiobooks)

City of Parramatta Libraries’ digital book suppliers are:

• OverDrive supply - eBooks & eAudiobooks
• Wheelers ePlatform- eBooks
• Bolinda Digital -eAudiobooks

If you make your digital book available through these suppliers, the title can be purchased if requested by a City of Parramatta Libraries’ member.

Overdrive has a Partnership Inquiry form to assist with this process. Wheelers ePlatform and Bolinda Digital advise authors to contact their individual partner publishers directly. Bolinda Digital publishers include ABC Audio, Audible, Harper Audio Australia, Bonnier, Brilliance Audio, Canongate, Gill Books, Macmillan Audio, O’Brien, Pan Macmillan Audio Australia, Penguin and Random House Audiobooks.

Donating Physical Books to City of Parramatta Libraries

City of Parramatta Libraries do not accept donation of Library materials except for:

• Materials about the City of Parramatta area, which may be suitable for the Heritage collection
• Original works by local authors [authors that reside in the City of Parramatta local government area] that meet the Library’s selection criteria

If you believe your publication is suitable for the City of Parramatta Libraries’ Heritage collection or you are a local author whose work meets the Library’s selection criteria, include your name, address and contact number with your book/s and either:

• Give your book(s) to a library staff member at your nearest library. Fully enclose your book (envelope or wrapped) with your contact details and clearly label the item: To: Library Collection Services
• Post your book/s and contact details to:
  City of Parramatta Libraries
  Library Collection Services
  Attention: Cataloguer
  Ground Floor 126 Church St, Parramatta NSW 2150

Please note, if your donated title is assessed as not suitable for the Library’s collection your item will be mailed to the return address you have provided.

Legal Deposit

If you publish in New South Wales, then legal deposit applies to you. This means that you are required by law to deposit a copy of your publication with State Library of New South Wales. For more information see the State Library of New South Wales Guidelines. Electronic publications and recordings are included in legal deposit and can be made through National edeposit.

Contact

If you have questions that are not covered in this guide please contact Library Collection Services librarycollectionsteam@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au.