Middletown High School Library

My friend Haley Whitehall had a lovely blog post about libraries.

I love libraries. If you read my post Big Girl Panties, you know my goal isn't to make money, it's to be read. What better way (without being easily electronically ripped off) than donating a copy to the library?

In my comment on Haley's blog you can read about my misfortune with my own public library. Authors, be sure your book is going into circulation not a book drive!

Today I received a very interesting request via Goodreads. I'm going to paste some of it here:

My name is Lora Wiedenheft and I am asking you to read my letter through. I am a reviewer and the founder of a program called Read for your future.

The program works like this. I contact authors (such as your self) and publishers that I think will Donate a book in exchange for a review. I then get the book put it on a list and let the students at 2 different high schools choose the book. The student that chooses the book then reads the book and writes a review for the book. There are links on my website to lead them through the process. When they are finished with their review they then turn that book into to the librarian at their school. It then gets cataloged and at that point has a new home for years to come.

The students are excited about this program. They are building up their library. And they feel good about themselves knowing they have helped out their school.

Honestly, I didn't need more than that. I was in. I get two people in my target audience to read and review my book?! Yes please! And then their peers read the review and can sign the book out from the library?! Can I just jump up and down on this program with glee and ask why more schools aren't doing this?

Hmmm, maybe they are and I just haven't heard about it. I'm pretty sure none of the High Schools around here have a program like this.

Then Lora goes on to further sell her program by pointing out that the school is in an underprivileged area and hadn't received ANY new books for four years. Wow. These kids are probably desperate for some new reading material. Based on the reviews on their blog they have had quite the influx. More information on the program can also be found on the organization's website.

Now it just so happens that my employer is a philanthropist and purchased extra copies of my book to be donated to libraries. I'm not even out the cost of the book. Yes, Read For Your Future, you can have a copy of my book and I will be sending copies of my future YA books to you as well.