Why should librarians be involved in micropublishing? That's a question Walt Crawford asks in his first chapter, but then never really answers it satisfactorily. Instead, through the remaining chapters, he addresses the soon-to-be author of a family history or a writing club's compilation (in other words, library users, not librarians). In very clear detail, Crawford shows how to start micropublishing; he singles out CreateSpace and Lulu -- while too briefly dismisses vanity presses. Aspiring authors are then given a long tutorial on templates, fonts, and layout -- it's a bit pedantic in spots, but there's a lot of very helpful information compressed into a few pages. It's clear what the focus of the book is when the ending barely mentions distributing the book (Crawford notes other books that discuss marketing in more depth, and his comments about them are fantastic, if sometimes scathing). Ultimately, if you're interested in self-publishing, this is worth a read before you start, even if you're not a librarian.

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LT Haiku:

Have a tale to tell?
Learn about fonts and layout.
Book might sell better. ( )

Excellent resource that not only teaches how to self publish, but also why libraries are the perfect centers for this community building activity. Highly recommended!

I'm not a librarian, but I am interested in micropublishing, and I found this book fascinating and informative. It addressed more topics than I would have thought I might need in putting a book together for self-publishing. I read the entire book, even the details on fonts and pagination, and I think I'm much better prepared than I would have been otherwise. The price is daunting, but if libraries indeed buy this book (and I hope they will), then I'd urge writers with an interest in self-publishing to check it out of whatever library is available to them. My particular interest is in putting together an anthology of articles from a quarterly journal related to Sherlock Holmes -- I'm one of the journal editors and have previously done a couple of anthologies with a publisher. This book gave me the confidence to get out there and "do it myself." My only reservation is all the information on MS Word; I vastly prefer MS Publisher. I'd love to be able to add in-text illustrations, but it doesn't sound like that's really an option at this point. That said, I still think this volume is wonderful...I just wish it cost half the price that's listed, so that it could be a little more accessible to readers/writers/editors and anthologists. ( )

Crawford defines micropublishing as using print on demand services to produce copies of a book as required for a niche market. This definition is too narrow; micropublishing is ANY content creation, print or online, for a niche market—publishing, being the act of making public, is not limited to any particular format. What Crawford means to suggest is that libraries can and should be involved in community content creation, because libraries are their community information centers, and can inexpensively utilize print on demand processes to assist interested authors.

What Crawford give us is a how-to manual for producing a polished physical manuscript—the content development process is out of scope here. He provides templates for laying out a manuscript, step-by-step instructions for making the text look good, and details for navigating the interaction with a print on demand vendor. The goal is to enable anyone to create a good-looking physical book, using only common software. Crawford assumes access to MS Word and the internet; with only this basic equipment, anyone should be able to follow the steps he lays out and, without too much difficulty, have a reasonably-priced object for sale.

While Crawford sees this as most applicable for public libraries, where writing groups and local history or genealogy students may produce content of interest to a small audience, his methods are equally useful for a self-publishing fiction author or even an open-access academic imprint that wants to make an archival copy available. This book’s value, though, comes from its detailed layout instruction; readers are encouraged to apply these skills to their own imaginative ends. After all, the goal of micropublishing is to produce a high-quality content carrier, cheaply. Crawford shows us how to do exactly that in this book.

The Librarian's Guide to Micropublishing
Helping Patrons and Communities Use
Free and Low-Cost Publishing Tools
to Tell Their Stories
by Walt Crawford

I always get what I need when I need it, and my new 172 page best buddy is no exception. I love a title that tells you everything just in it's name. This one I needed so much it made sense right off the bat, with it's simple language, easy to follow suggestions and awesome web referrals it came right together for me.

If there is anyone out there like myself that has a book or a couple books or ideas that are just sitting around, this little number can get you there. It answered all the questions I had in such a direct and gentle manner I felt confident that I can get myself published. I totally recommend this most recent edition to my spiritual toolbox to anyone serious about getting your message out to the world with as little hassle as possible. Thanks Walt, for helping us so much.

Love & Light,

Riki Frahmann ( )