Local Author Collection Policy

Approved by the York County Library Board of Trustees on September 12, 2024

Thank you for your interest in contributing to the York County Library’s collection. This policy is to help guide local authors in their efforts to have their works selected for the County’s collection. This collection is designed to give new and emerging writers an opportunity to be read by their friends, neighbors, York County, and the wider South Carolina community.

Who is considered a local author:

For the purpose of this policy, local authors are defined as residents of York County, South Carolina.

How It Works:

York County Library invites local authors to donate one copy of their published work for inclusion in the Local Author Collection. Multiple copies will not be accepted. Local authors’ works will be displayed at the Main Library (Rock Hill) on their own shelves in the children’s, YA, or adult departments, and be made available for checkout by library users. Please review the Donation Guidelines and the Criteria for Selection prior to completing the submission form.

The Local Author Collection will be located in the Children's area for children’s materials, the Young Adult area for young adult materials, and the Adult area for adult materials.

Please understand that if your work is chosen for inclusion in the library’s collection, library staff are under no obligation to purchase additional copies for the collection.

Donation Guidelines:

In compliance with the YCL’s Gifts Policy, submitted works become the property of York County Library. If works are not added to the collection, they will be donated to the Friends of the Library, except for genealogical materials.

All donated books must be in new condition.
YCL will only accept one (1) copy of any title.
If the author has multiple books to donate to the collection, we will accept one (1) copy of each title. *Please limit to three (3) submissions.
Submissions must be professionally printed and bound.
Spiral-bound items, pamphlets, textbooks, workbooks, or any coloring/fill-in pages will not be accepted.
The author represents and warrants full ownership and/or legal rights to publish all materials in this book, including artwork.
Books must have an ISBN and be recognized by the Library of Congress as a published work.

Criteria for Selection for Local Author Collection:

YCL recognizes that many local authors’ books are self-published and typically have not been reviewed by any standard sources. However, they should meet other standards outlined in our Collection Development Policy. The library reserves the right to decline a book for the collection if the content is deemed inappropriate for a public library. YCL uses a combination of the following criteria to determine inclusion in the Local Author Collections:

Interest of the community (known and potential)
Contemporary significance
Permanent value to the collection
Importance of the subject to balance the collection
Appearance in special bibliographies or indexes
Availability of information elsewhere in the library or via reliable online resources
Authority of author(s), editor(s), or publisher(s)
Clear presentation and/or readability
Durability and appropriateness of the format to the subject matter
Shelving or storage space availability in the library.
Clarity, accuracy, and organization
Artistic merit and/or literary value

*Works created with AI will not be accepted.

Adding books to the general collection:

Books by local authors that have been reviewed in standard sources will be considered for purchase as an addition to the Library’s general collection.
Self-published family histories or similar genealogical materials may be added to the Local History Collection at the discretion of the selector.
If the text selected for the Local Author Collection has also been published as an eBook, the digital file may be considered for addition to the eBook collection.
- Digital submissions are only considered once a printed work of the same title is accepted.
- Digital submissions can only be in BiblioBoard and cannot be added to any other library database.

How to Submit Your Work:

Please review the Donation Guidelines and the Criteria for Selection for the Local Author Collection.
Fill out and submit the online Local Author Collection Form.
Bring one copy of your book to the reference desk according to which age your book falls under (children’s, YA, adult). Fill out and include the Local Author Donation Form with your work. Library staff will provide you with a form or you may print one to bring to the library with you. Books dropped off at branches other than the Main Library (Rock Hill) will be sent to the Main Library.

*Please note that your completed online form must be submitted prior to bringing in your book; otherwise, your book may be considered a donation and given to the Friends' Bookstore.

Processing:

A librarian will notify you of receipt of your donation slip and book within five (5) business days. After reviewing your online form and book, a librarian will inform you of the library’s decision to accept or deny your book. If your book is approved, your book will be cataloged and placed in the Local Author Collections based on age appropriateness. It may take up to ninety (90) days to review, catalog, and process new books. Books purchased through the library receive priority for cataloging. If your book is denied, it will be donated to the Friends' Bookstore. Because of limitations on staff time, if your title does not meet the selection criteria, we cannot reconsider it.

YCL retains the right to remove books from the Local Author Collections based on standards in our Collection Development Policy. Generally, books in poor condition and with low usage statistics are removed from our collections to make space for new books. Items that have not circulated regularly may be withdrawn after one (1) year. Withdrawn books will be discarded or given to the Friends' Bookstore.

*Please note that library staff reserves the right to allow more time to review and process books.