SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS NOW EXEMPT FROM CIP

SUZANNE ANDERSON

Many Canadian authors were surprised to receive an email from Library and Archives Canada (LAC) informing them that self-published materials are no longer eligible for Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) services. The new policy took effect on May 29, 2017. There was not much notice and no explanation for the change. According to the LAC website, they define “self-published” as publications that are produced and marketed at the expense of individual authors. This includes print-on-demand (POD), subsidy publishing and collaborative publishing as well as strictly self-published books. Basically, any book not published by a trade publisher is no longer eligible.

CIP is a program for publishers and libraries that is coordinated by the LAC. It allows books to be catalogued months before they are published and the information is sent to both libraries and booksellers. CIP has always been an integral part of the professional look of a book. I have been encouraging authors who intend to self-publish to apply for CIP since 2004 when the first edition of Self Publishing in Canada was released. Many libraries and bookstores will not consider a book without CIP.

A representative of the LAC says the reason for the policy change is because research done last year shows that self-published materials were less likely than other categories of materials to be found in Canadian libraries. Because the numbers of self-published books are small, the CIP program was not useful to Canadian libraries. Because they have limited financial resources, the LAC decided to make the cut. They are quick to point out, though, that self-published books are still eligible for ISBN and still subject to cataloguing through Legal Deposit. A book that is added to the Legal Deposit collection is catalogued after publication and not before.

Lynne Jordon, Deputy CEO of the Greater Victoria Public Library, says that CIP is not a factor considered in purchasing decisions. She explained that the library staff have enough expertise to incorporate material into their collection and ensure it is discoverable. The format of the copyright page does not impact their decision to acquire a book. Rather, they choose books to meet the community’s needs.

The trend toward non-acceptance of self-published books appears to be international. In the U.S. self-published books are exempt from the Library of Congress CIP, as well as POD books and books published by firms that have published less than three authors. In the U.K. self-published books are not exempt from CIP, but POD books are.

Implications to Authors

So what are the implications of this new policy to writers who want to self-publish besides missing out on pre-publication promotion? Right off, the lack of CIP

will now identify a book as self-published. As those of us who self-publish try to break down barriers, this policy throws one up. Therefore it is imperative that your book be edited, properly formatted, and have a professional cover. While this has always been necessary for the potential for book sales, it is now more important than ever.

On their website, the LAC recommends that self-published authors approach their local libraries or bookstores to promote their books. This presumes that no self-published author wants national promotion. Although it is true that the majority of self-published books tend to be more of a local nature, there are still many authors who want to hook into a national market. In the past, CIP has helped with that promotion.

While public libraries tend to be open to carrying books by local authors, many bookstores are not so keen on the one-bookone-account type of deal. Most of them want the book to be part of the national computer system Bookmanager, and that leaves self-published authors scrambling to find distribution. In BC there are two distributors – Sandhill Book Marketing in Kelowna and Red Tuque Books in Penticton. Sandhill only distributes non-fiction books and their catalogue is on their website. Red Tuque distributes both fiction and non-fiction and sends more than 2,000 catalogues out to Canadian libraries and bookstores twice a year. There is a cost to having a distributor that some authors do not want to pay. A distributor normally receives a 60% discount on the cover price.

What can a Canadian writer do if they want to self-publish and be recognized as a professional? First of all, get an ISBN. It is free in Canada and will have your book included in certain databases. Secondly, make sure you send your book(s) to Legal Deposit. Canadian publishers (including self-publishers) must provide two copies of every book they publish to Legal Deposit. Only one copy is required if the print run is less than 100 books, including POD copies. Legal Deposit also requires a copy of digital books sent in a PDF or EPUB format. Your book goes into a catalogue that is distributed to libraries and bookstores, so I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is to use these resources. Particularly now that self-published books can no longer have CIP. The self-published author needs every edge in order to compete with trade published books.

Suzanne Anderson is an author and publishing coach who helps others navigate the world of independent publishing. She has written three books and is best known for Self Publishing in Canada , which won a Writer’s Digest Self-published Book Award. She is the Cowichan regional rep for the FBCW. She conducts writing and publishing workshops throughout BC and will soon have them online. www.selfpublishing.ca