We at Romance Sparks Joy love libraries—some of us are even librarians—and we want to help readers and libraries connect with the awesome books by the authors we recommend. We believe in HEA—Happiness for Everyone and Anyone.
This page is going to be formatted like a Q&A. If you have a question that isn’t listed, contact us via the form, @sparkjoyromance, or email the librarian general. We want to hear from you. Please note that your mileage may vary for any of these questions as different libraries have different collections and service models.
Questions for Readers
I want to get the audio book at my library, but it’s not there. How do I request it?
Most libraries use third-party vendors for audio and ebooks. The most common ones are OverDrive or RBDigital. In RBDigital, the recommendation area is under the “My Account” menu area on the left. In OverDrive, when you search for a title that your library does not currently own, there are two options: 1) click “Recommend,” which will appear underneath the title you searched for, or 2) you can click on “add titles the library doesn’t own,” which appears on your search page and follow the instructions. Please note that not all libraries have these features turned on in OverDrive and RBDigital, and not all books are available to libraries as ebooks and audio books.
I want to get the print copy of the book at my library, but it’s not there. How to I request it?
There are two ways to do this. Libraries can get books for you from other libraries through an Interlibrary Loan or ILL. You can request one of these, although some libraries do charge a fee for this. You can also request that the library purchase the book you want. We would prefer this method as we want the most people possible to read these awesome HEAs. Most libraries have a mechanism for requesting a title for purchase, but it varies greatly by library. Ask a librarian or send an email to request the book. There may even be an easy request button in the catalog or on the website.
How do I request that my library purchase the book?
Most libraries have a mechanism for requesting a title for purchase, but it varies greatly by library. Ask a librarian or send an email to request the book. The best librarian to talk to would be the librarian in charge of collection development for adult or genre fiction. There may even be an easy request button in the catalog or on the website.
I want to give my libraries copies of the books. How do I do that?
Different libraries handle donations differently. You will need to speak to the librarian in charge of collection development or collection management. Some libraries do not accept donations at all, some accept donations for resale only, and some only accept certain formats. Talk to your library to find out what formats (print or digital) they accept or if they do accept donations. Tell them why you want to donate the books. It might make a difference.
Questions for Librarians
What are my library format options for the first three books Romance Sparks Joy read?
BAD BLOOD by M. Malone
- Print only
MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE by Nisha Sharma
- OverDrive – ebook and audio
- Print – We know for sure that Ingram and online vendors (like Amazon) carry this
LONG SHOT by Kennedy Ryan
- Print only – We know for sure that Ingram and online vendors (like Amazon) carry this.
- Overdrive – audio only
I can’t find the book on OverDrive, but you have that listed as a format. What gives?
OverDrive sometimes hides self-published authors is a seperate search area.
My library requires professional reviews, and I can’t order these books.
Try sharing this article from Booklist discussing how this requirement hurts authors of color and widens the gaps in publishing with your collections team. Libraries should be a place where marginalized people can find books that reflect their lives. HEA – Happiness is for Everyone and Anyone!