You can contact me at my work email:

jstubbs(AT)plcmc(DOT)lib(DOT)nc(DOT)us

(sorry – I don’t want spam in my work account for posting to a public website)

If you look at most libraries, donated books find their way to the annual book sale. Why is this? One big reason: cataloging.

It takes time and/or money to catalog that book as dewey or library of congress. Most catalogers (a dying breed) are already overworked keeping up with normal acquisitions to have to deal with something joe blow brought in from the street.

The idea about sending books directly to a library? BAD idea. When that happens, we look at it the same as most RPG publishers do: an unsolicited proposal. You want us to put your book out for everyone to see and bypass our acquisitions guidelines. Those books are usually destroyed or tossed on the book sale.

If people really want to help get RPG books into libraries there needs to be two initial steps taken: better distribution and more publicity.

Libraries really have only a few outlets to buy books from. Baker & Taylor is the biggest. The number of RPG publishers who even bother to make their products available to B&T is pathetic and, those who do, seem to charge a fee. A library buying the same book you’d get at your local game story costs more… and libraries do not like paying cover price much less more than cover.

The big thing in libraries now is the graphic novel. Why? A bunch of comics publishers (DC being the biggest)went to the annual ALA (American Library Association) and really pushed the benefits of comics: encourages reluctant readers, etc. RPG publishers need to do the same thing. They can go to GenCon and Origins but going to ALA could be a good move for them. Stand at ALA and tell the librarians WHY having game books in their libraries would be good and why people would want to read them.

If you look at most libraries, donated books find their way to the annual book sale. Why is this? One big reason: cataloging.

It takes time and/or money to catalog that book as dewey or library of congress. Most catalogers (a dying breed) are already overworked keeping up with normal acquisitions to have to deal with something joe blow brought in from the street.

The idea about sending books directly to a library? BAD idea. When that happens, we look at it the same as most RPG publishers do: an unsolicited proposal. You want us to put your book out for everyone to see and bypass our acquisitions guidelines. Those books are usually destroyed or tossed on the book sale.

If people really want to help get RPG books into libraries there needs to be two initial steps taken: better distribution and more publicity.

Libraries really have only a few outlets to buy books from. Baker & Taylor is the biggest. The number of RPG publishers who even bother to make their products available to B&T is pathetic and, those who do, seem to charge a fee. A library buying the same book you’d get at your local game story costs more… and libraries do not like paying cover price much less more than cover.

The big thing in libraries now is the graphic novel. Why? A bunch of comics publishers (DC being the biggest)went to the annual ALA (American Library Association) and really pushed the benefits of comics: encourages reluctant readers, etc. RPG publishers need to do the same thing. They can go to GenCon and Origins but going to ALA could be a good move for them. Stand at ALA and tell the librarians WHY having game books in their libraries would be good and why people would want to read them.

You can contact me at my work email:

jstubbs(AT)plcmc(DOT)lib(DOT)nc(DOT)us

(sorry – I don’t want spam in my work account for posting to a public website)