Get Your Book Into Libraries—and Build the Local Buzz That Travels

Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast

Book Marketing Tips and Author Success Podcast
Get Your Book Into Libraries—and Build the Local Buzz That Travels
Jul 03, 2026 Season 6 Episode 27
Penny C. Sansevieri & Amy Cornell Author Marketing Experts

As Penny's new book, Think Local, Sell Global, heads into pre-order, this replay felt especially timely.

One of the biggest mistakes authors make is assuming that local book marketing is somehow “small.” In reality, the relationships you build in your own community can become the foundation for stronger visibility, more reader connection, better word-of-mouth, and opportunities that continue expanding well beyond your ZIP code.

In this replay episode, Amy and Penny dig into one of the most underused local marketing opportunities available to authors: libraries. We talk about how to get your book in front of the right library contacts, what librarians may consider before adding a title to their shelves, and why simply walking in and asking them to stock your book is rarely the smartest approach.

You’ll hear practical ways to become part of your local library community first—from getting a card and attending events to supporting their programs, following them online, and identifying where your book, expertise, or perspective could genuinely add value. We also cover how to pitch library events, collaborate with other local authors, work with Friends of the Library groups, and avoid creating an event that requires more staff time than a library can realistically provide.

Libraries are not just places where books live. They are community hubs filled with readers, families, educators, local organizations, and people actively looking for meaningful resources and experiences. That makes them an ideal place to begin building the kind of hometown visibility that can support your book far beyond launch week.

This may be a replay, but the strategy is more relevant than ever—especially for authors who want to stop waiting for visibility to happen and start creating it closer to home.

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Penny's new book: Think Local Sell Global is up for preorder! Grab your copy here: https://bit.ly/ThinkLocalSellGlobal

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Episode Artwork Get Your Book Into Libraries—and Build the Local Buzz That Travels 18:29 Episode Artwork Christmas in July: Your Holiday Book Sales Plan Starts Here 24:58 Episode Artwork Think Local, Sell Everywhere: Book Marketing That Actually Sells Books 29:30 Episode Artwork Publishing Horror Stories: The Expensive Mistakes Authors Never See Coming 28:19 Episode Artwork The Relaunch Blueprint: Four Ways to Revive Book Sales 22:00 Episode Artwork Amazon’s AI Translation Shortcut: Smart Strategy or Costly Mistake? 25:37 Episode Artwork The Dangerous Myth About Book Sales That’s Holding You Back 25:09 Episode Artwork Readers Don’t Buy Books—Consumers Do. Here’s Why That Matters 24:41 Episode Artwork AI Is Scamming Authors: How to Spot Fake Book Marketing Before You Lose Money 28:23 Episode Artwork Your Amazon Retail Page Has a Problem and You Probably Can't See It 38:35 Episode Artwork Publicity Doesn’t Sell Books: What Authors Get Wrong (and What Works Instead) 30:19 Episode Artwork The Word-of-Mouth Engine: How to Turn Readers Into Your Best Marketing Team 30:19 Episode Artwork Podcast Pitching Secrets For Authors: What Podcast Hosts Actually Say Yes To (Part 2) 23:18 Episode Artwork Podcast Pitching Secrets for Authors: How to Get Booked on Podcasts (Part 1) 30:08 Episode Artwork Borrowed Buzz: The Smarter Way to Stay Visible Year-Round 37:38 Episode Artwork Latest Goodreads Changes and Why They Matter for Authors 36:59 Episode Artwork How to Hire a Book Marketing Team Without Getting Burned 48:21 Episode Artwork How To Get And Keep Amazon Book Reviews Without Getting Banned 36:28 Episode Artwork The Blueprint that Sells Books 36:45 Episode Artwork The 7-Day Amazon Ads Reset: What to Fix, What to Ignore, When to Scale 40:08 Episode Artwork How to Land Book Reviews Without Burnout, Begging, or Bribes 44:33 Episode Artwork Why Readers Break Up With Books (and How to Make Yours a Long-Term Relationship) 33:48 Episode Artwork Consistency That Sells: How Clear Branding Converts Browsers Into Buyers 35:49 Episode Artwork Finding the Right Book Positioning And Why It Changes Everything 29:24 Episode Artwork Turning Amazon Pages Into Conversion Engines With A+ Content 46:00