Author and Publisher Submission Policy

For inclusion in the Oakland Public Library (OPL) collection, all work must meet the Library’s selection criteria as detailed in the Collection Development Policy.

How to Submit Your Work

The Library will review donated copies for selection. Send a copy of your published work to:

Oakland Public Library
Collection Development
125 14^th Street
Oakland CA 94612

Please include:

• your name
• address
• telephone number(s)
• email address
• title of book
• vendor/Publisher information
• professional reviews or critiques
• information on pricing, including library discount, shipping and handling fees

The Library cannot acknowledge receipt or your work, or of our final decision. If your work is accepted, you may expect to see it in the catalog within approximately 120 Days. Acceptance of a copy of your work for the collection does not guarantee that we will buy additional copies.  If we buy more copies, they may not be purchased directly from you. The Library prefers to purchase materials through our established vendors (such as Baker & Taylor, Brodart, Ingram, Small Press Distribution). If your work is not accepted, your donated copy will be repurposed according to our gift policy.

Some works, especially longer works or works of non-fiction, may not be considered without accompanying professional reviews. The Library relies in part on professional reviews when making selection decisions, and it is up to local authors to solicit reviews for their works. You may resubmit your work if professional reviews appear at a later time. The preferred professional review sources for OPL include Bayviews, Booklist, Foreword, Horn Book Magazine, Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and VOYA.

Promotion

The Oakland Public Library bears no obligation for marketing an author's work. Authors are fully responsible for promoting their work.

Local authors or publishers may reserve a room at the Library for their own programs, subject to OPL's Meeting Room Policy.