Online Library Services

Programming note: It’s been awhile since we’ve had a guest blogger with us, so I am happy to announce that this Tuesday we’ll have an interview with Christina Katz, author of the Writer’s Digest book Get Known Before the Book Deal. Even better, she’s going to hang with us for 24 hours to answer questions!  If you want to know anything about platform, identity, branding, building an audience, etc, here is your chance. Get your questions ready for Tuesday, June 2^nd.

Since one of my favorite places to be is a library, it was no surprise that online libraries have caught my attention. Right now as I type in my blog my kids are listening to a Magic Treehouse audio book by Mary Pope Osborne that I downloaded from a digital library. (I predict many audio books will be enjoyed this summer.)

Other than audio books to keep my kids busy, how do I use online library services? I’m still learning what all my libraries (I hold 3 library cards) have to offer.

1. Quick, 24/7 access to e-books—even if I don’t like to read an e-book sometimes I like to see how an author handles, say beginnings. I can download a couple books and take a quick peek.

2. Access to magazines and newspapers—complete magazines online

3. Databases: These offer more concentrated searches than what you would find on a regular search engine. (You won’t have to slog through as many websites to find quality info.) Databases also offer skills improvement. Example: Learning Express Library—under Skill Building for Adults there are writing and grammar skills improvement activities. Under Computer Skills there are courses in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and others.

4. TypingMaster Online—if you need to brush up on your typing skills

5. Study a Foreign Language—or listen to one being spoken so you can catch the cadence for your foreign minor character

6. Genealogy research (except for this one I’d have to go in to the library instead of sticking to my comfy couch).

Check out what your library has to offer online. (Don’t forget about interlibrary loans and the online “hold” services!) Save yourself some gas and the driving time. You can use the extra hours for more writing.

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Here is a note from Theresa Rizzo for an upcoming writer’s conference, where one of our favorites, Donald Maass will be presenting:

If you’re thinking abt attending the Crested Butte Writers Conference June 19-21, 2009, tomorrow is your last Chance to save $25 on registration.  After May 30th, the cost of the 2.5 day conference goes from $225 to $250–still a good price for this intimate, little conference–but who wouldn’t rather have that $25 to spend on books as well as the conference?

With Keynote speaker, bestselling legal thriller author, William Bernhardt, power agent, Donald Maass, who will present a two hour workshop on his new book, Fire in Fiction, fantastic freelance editor, Lisa Rector, who specializes in late draft writing, will also give a terrific workshop on sagging middles, and guest authors include national bestseller, Aryn Kyle and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ own, Tina Ann Fornker. 

Attending agents are Donald Maass of Maass Agency and Colleen Lindsay of Fine Print Literary Management.  Attending Editors are Adam Wilson of MIRA and Katherine Nintzel of Harper Collins.