Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries

Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries

Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries: Challenges, Opportunities, and Recommendations

Hailey Mullock

Abstract

The article explores ways in which life writing, specifcally self-published life writing currently exists in public libraries including collection development and programming. The argument is made for an need for self-published life writing and for self-published life-writing to be more present in libraries through an examination of the value of both reading and writing life writing. Finally, suggestions on how public libraries can improve their collection, space, and workshops to expand on self-published life-writing concludes the paper.

Keywords self-publishing; memoirs; public libraries; collection development

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Self-published and unpublished life-writing often does not make it onto the shelves of your local library. Life writing from individuals with some sort of celebrity status, including popular authors such as Margaret Atwood, or those with a story from a notable time period or life experience, such as a Holocaust survivor, or manuscripts that are centuries old are all deemed to have a particular value to maintain and preserve in collections such as the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Not often included on the list are the life writings of everyday people such as scrapbooks, diaries, and self-published memoirs. The life writing of everyday people may survive in families for generations, or they may be forgotten and tossed one spring cleaning. Library and information professionals must look at how and if such materials can be shared, maintained, and preserved due to the growing creation of self-published writing made available through a variety of new technologies. Narrowing the focus to the public library there is a responsibility to support the local community, including the written lives of the community members. As public libraries are not archives, it would be diffcult for them to take in unpublished materials like diaries and other ephemera due to their lack of identifcation, copyrights, and other metadata often included with published materials. Self-publishing is a stream of life-writing that public libraries can support as a way of preserving life-writing. Especially as self-publishing becomes a growing phenomenon due to the increase in digital self- publishing tools available, libraries must respond to the needs of both authors and readers. This paper focuses on self-published memoirs, one of the recently more popular genres of life writing. Assuming that it is the mandate of the public library to foster and support its local community, through supporting and preserving self-published memoirs the public library can participate in maintaining and sharing the lives of local people who are the heart of the community.

BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW

Multiple articles explore the future potential role of the library as support for self-publishing authors, yet there are still several steps to take for self-publishing support in libraries to become widespread. At the time of this paper, there is no literature explicitly looking at how to support self-published life-writing in libraries. This paper looks at life-writing, self-publishing, and libraries’ community responsibilities to self-publishing and more specifcally to self-published memoirs.

LIFE WRITING

Life-writing is the genre of literature that tells a non-fctitious true story of someone’s life. The words non-fctitious and true are both used as life-writing is a true story from an individual’s account and may not be factually or historically accurate (Couser, 2011). Life-writing can be in a variety of forms such as a biography, autobiography and memoir as well as some less commonly published ones, such as diaries, scrapbooks and letters. Memoir is a subgenre of life-writing that is usually limited in scope, focusing on a single life experience or sometimes several life experiences around a single theme (Couser, 2011). Memoir is a frst-person genre where the author is also the subject. The term memoir stems from the French word memory and signals that a memoir is primarily based on memory (Couser, 2011). The “true” story of a memoir is subjective as it is the author’s truth based on their memories and is not necessarily historically accurate. With memory as the primary resource, the genre is more accessible to amateurs than iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 40 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries some other genres of writing. Authors can write about their own experiences without necessarily needing to do research. Couser discusses how the availability of the contemporary memoir has resulted in the innovation of what he calls the “nobody memoir” (2011, p.12). He calls it such as anyone can pick up a pen, or computer, and write their story with very few limitations. The many new digital tools available to self-publish, such as Amazon’s CreateSpace, combined with possibility for anyone to write their own memoir has made memoirs a popular genre of self- publishing, either for proft or personal use. Memoirs can be benefcial to the author, the reader, and the community. For the author, the memoir through its refective practices can result in self-creation, therapy and newfound gratitude. Self and identity are at the core of life-writing not only because of the subject matter but also because the documenting of the self is also self-inventive (Couser, 2011). Life-writing is a self-refective act that involves thinking of the past and refecting. Pausing and refecting develops into investigations of self-knowing (Smith and Watson, 2010). In the process of life writing and self-exploration, the self is not only being discovered but is also being changed and developed resulting in self-creation. In a similar way that life writing can encourage self-creation through pause and refection, it can also be therapeutic as the author can work through suffering such as from traumatic or obsessional memories. This therapeutic life-writing is referred to as “scriptotherapy” by Suzette A. Henke. (Smith and Watson, 2010, p. 22). Laura D. Russell (2016) in “(Re)Reading and (Re)Writing Disruption through Gratitude: Personal Narrative as a Method of Inquiry and Discovery” discusses how through life-writing and refection on her own life she “probed a readiness to re-read my circumstances” (p. 470). Life-narrative can give the author a new type of awareness of their life by looking at it from different perspectives that make possible realizations and can awaken a greater appreciation and gratitude (Russell, 2016). In putting the self down in words, there is a desire to preserve the self, the life and the history. In writing memoirs, there is the potential to not only be preserved in book form but also in the minds of all of the readers and to live on in others. In reading a memoir, readers are given an opportunity to intimately learn about another person who is different from themselves, but who is likely also similar in some ways. In making connections with those who are different than themselves, readers can develop empathy. Memoirs can give a voice to silent and marginalized people. A reader can learn, understand and grow to empathize with a person who may have been previously considered “other” to themself and their experiences. Having community members who are empathetic to one another may create a closer and stronger community with strong relations across diverse groups. Not only can we see the identity creation of the author from memoirs, but also growth and identity creation of a community. Every autobiographical narrative is historically and culturally situated, placing it in a particular community, or a particular identity (Russell, 2016). For many narratives, the geographical and temporal location strongly characterize the story being told (Russell, 2016). Members of the community can connect to the memoir, the author and other readers through geographical location: their shared community.

THE LIBRARY’S RESPONSIBILITY

Both the American Library Association (ALA) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) have calls and committees on issues related to self-

iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 41 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries published memoirs in IFLA’s Acquisition and Development Section and in ALA’s Strategic Directions (IFLA, 2018 & ALA, 2017) . The American Library Association discusses in their Strategic Directions the library as a community hub, that provides programming in the arts, and through programming can transform lives and communities (ALA, 2017). In the ALA’s most recent strategic plan, one of the advocacy goals is that the library is to be a “hub of community engagement and continual learning: a place to form the critical thinking skills fundamental to learning in a technologically evolving world, to access information, and to create and share new knowledge” (ALA, 2017, p.2). The library has extended beyond book lending to become a community center that actively participates in the growth of the community’s knowledge and creativity. As a space, the library can provide resources to self-publishing memoirists in several capacities. Libraries can provide knowledge resources such as books, subscriptions to online tutorials, workshops and regular programming. Libraries can be creative spaces through available technology such as the Espresso book printing machine which allows patrons to print their book for a nominal fee, as well as providing materials and spaces for creative endeavors such as memoir writing. The space allows the community to come together through activities such as writing groups. These resources and actions contribute to making the library a community hub. Programs have increased to be one of the primary services available at libraries, aligning with the goals of community engagement. The ALA’s Public Programs Offce states that “[p] rograms in the humanities and the arts that encourage people to think and talk about ethics and values, history, art, poetry, and other cultures are integral to the library’s mission.” (ALA, 2018a). This statement applies to programming related to self-publishing which could include, creative writing, book design, cover design, marketing and social media. Referring to the arts and humanities the Public Programs Offce says that, “Libraries also give their communities something less tangible, yet just as essential to a satisfying and productive life—nourishment for the spirit.” Memoirs certainly fall under the umbrella of “nourishment for the soul” (ALA, 2018a). The refection and sharing of someone’s life story can be spiritually fulflling and life affrming, both for authors and readers. Additionally, ALA’s Transform Libraries Campaign’s fundamental idea is that “Libraries today are less about what they have for people and more about what they do for and with people” (ALA, 2018b). The key messages of the campaign are: “Libraries transform lives; Libraries transform communities; Librarians are passionate advocates for lifelong learning; Libraries are a smart investment” (ALA, 2018b). Memoirs, as mentioned previously, can transform the lives of the author, reader and community. Supporting memoir writing and book creation fts with the goals of libraries as transformative spaces. In supporting the arts, such as writing and design, libraries are also advocating for lifelong learning. The Transform Libraries Campaign combined with ALA’s calls for programming supports the need for libraries to provide resources and conduct programs that support the creation and publication of self-published memoirs. At the IFLA, the Acquisition and Collection Development group is preparing for upcoming 2018 WLIC (World Library and Information Congress) Acquisition and Development Section on the theme “Being guided by our users: using assessment to build user focused collections” (IFLA, 2018). The summary describing the theme reads: As the amount and type of material that is published grows, libraries are increasingly using new methods to focus collection development efforts toward specifc user needs and tailor acquisitions to what will be used by the community. A drive to be more evidence-based and make smarter decisions has increased the use of quantitative and qualitative assessment methods to understand how our collections are being used and what materials should be acquired. In addition, vendor iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 42 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries

systems and tools for how materials may be purchased drive us to think about new ways of offering and purchasing content. This session aims to share successful collection assessment programs that focus on user and community needs in order to build collections that are valued (IFLA, 2018). The Acquisitions and Collection Development Section’s theme makes evident the shift in collection development to community-focused development and a shift away from the exclusive use of traditional collection development standards. Memoirs can refect the soul of the community in sharing the story and lives of the community. As self-publishing and memoirs continue to grow in popularity there may also be a increase in self-published and memoir acquisitions as patrons are now making requests for such materials either due to their popularity or because they are a local work (Holley, 2013). Self-published work is primarily brought into a library collection through the community and less often through traditional vendors as most vendors work directly with publishers and not individuals. The Acquisitions and Collection Development Section also encourages libraries to explore additional vendor systems and tools for acquiring materials that best suit the community’s needs and to think of new ways of purchasing materials. In the case of self-published work, going outside of standard vendors to develop a different practice for acquiring self-published materials aligns with the direction of IFLA (IFLA, 2017, p. 7)

THE POPULARITY OF SELF-PUBLISHED TITLES

Over approximately the past ten years there has been a signifcant rise in self-publishing (Cassell, 2017) with the concept of self-publishing beginning to loom large in the late 1990s and early 2000s (Dilevko and Dali, 2006). In 2012 a journal article was published entitled “Self-Publishing: The New Frontier,” and in 2013 self-published ebooks were deemed a “new phenomenon,” demonstrating how the boom in self-publishing correlates with the increased popularity of ebooks (Kerekes, 2014). The rise in self-publishing has an undeniable correlation to the internet, ebooks and online publishing tools. At one point self-published meant being unable to get published by a traditional publisher due to the manuscript not meeting a particular standard. Once self-publishing was stigmatized because if it was not good enough to be published by a publisher then most libraries would also not consider purchasing a self-published title. Now it has become an acceptable alternative to traditional publishing, particularly with the possibilities offered by the worldwide Internet distribution (Bankhead, 2015). Self-publishing gives the author full ownership and control of their work, can be more affordable to publish, and can have higher royalties (Holley, 2015). These aspects can make self-publishing an appealing alternative over traditional publishing. There are also numerous online print-on-demand options for authors who want to self-publish in print format instead of or in addition to ebooks. Some options include Blurb, Lulu and Createspace. However, Createspace has now been purchased by Amazon, as Amazon continues to expand and dominate the self-publishing market. Each of these services also provides distribution of self-published titles. Ebooks can have lower self-publishing costs than print books, which can encourage authors to turn to the digital format. According to Thu-Hong Ha in the Quartz Media article, “Are e-books dying or thriving? The answer is yes,” over the past seven years self-published books have become an avenue through which writers can make a living (Ha, 2018). Part of this is due to cutting out publishers, sidestepping print and distribution costs (Ha, 2018). On Amazon,

iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 43 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries self-published authors price their books much lower than traditionally published e-books, but can make up to 70% in royalties, allowing authors to earn a signifcant income. Amazon dominates the self-publishing world, with numerous authors publishing both print and e-book formats. However, Amazon’s quantitative data about just how many self-published works have been published and sold through its services remains veiled making it diffcult to put a number on just how many works are being self-published (Ha, 2018). That being said, Bowker recorded that 786, 935 self-published titles came out in 2016, but there is no way to know how close that is to the actual number of self-published books, as ISBNs are optional (Ha, 2018). The sheer number of self-published titles may suggest massive interest in such works, both by authors and readers.

SELF-PUBLISHED TITLES AND COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES

As more authors choose self-publishing, libraries may desire to respond to the growing numbers of self-published titles and develop ways to incorporate self-published titles into their collection development policies and decisions in order to include popular titles that patrons may be interested in. Self-published titles are more diffcult for libraries to identify, evaluate and process than traditionally published titles and pose challenges for collection for development (Nardini, 2015). One of the most signifcant challenges to librarians in adding self-published titles to their collection is discoverability of self-published titles. According to Pacer (2013), in order to fnd self-published titles “...librarians need to expand their collection development activities beyond traditional sources…”( p.33). One suggestion is to utilize social media tools, including GoodReads, and their rating systems in order to make collection development decisions (Pacer, 2013). It would also be benefcial for libraries to partner with self-publishing platforms such as SELF-e and Smashwords. This option will be discussed in detail in the next section. Another challenge to collection development is that currently most library collection development guidelines do not work for self-published titles as they often do not meet the guidelines, making collection development decisions diffcult (Pacer, 2013). One of the guidelines that may need to be reconsidered is book reviews for a title, and whether a review must appear in a reputable source in order for the title to appear in the collection (Pacer, 2013). Another concern with self-published books is the quality. One of the questions posed by an interviewer about self-published memoirs was, “But are they any good?” From poor writing, typos, and grammatical errors to cover art that displeases the eye the possible negatives of self-publishing are a concern for libraries (Holley, 2015). Limited staffng can make it diffcult for libraries to easily add self-published titles as libraries have to spend time reading some manuscripts that have a lower quality of writing in order to fnd the so-called “needle-in- haystack” to add to the collection (DeWild and Jarema, 2015). One of the most frustrating parts of self-publishing for authors can be the formatting. Those with a lack of experience creating digital content or without access to book layout software can struggle to design a professional book (Holley, 2015). Part of what contributes to the quality of self-published books is affordability and accessibility to resources, including tools, skills and printing. There are publishing houses and distributors such as Gatekeeper Press that, although they offer 100% royalties, charge for additional services such as editing, formatting and cover design. With their iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 44 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries cover design costs starting at one thousand dollars, the prices can be out of reach for some self- publishing authors (Gatekeepers, 2018). Libraries have the opportunity to provide workshops, writers groups, author talks, and much more that can infuence the quality of self-published writing and help to diminish the negative stigma towards self-published work. Despite the challenges and diffculties in adding self-published titles to library collections, they can meet the information and entertainment needs of library users (Holley, 2015). An example of an information need could be a nonfction book on entrepreneurship where the user is looking for a particular piece of information. An example of an entertainment need is a need for pleasurable, entertaining or joyful reading such as a thriller or romance.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS

According to Kathryn M. Conrad in her article “Public Libraries as Publishers: Critical Opportunity,”

Public libraries have seen the need to acquire self-published content for their collections, and they are beginning to support the creation of local content with a rapidly growing set of services and programs that grow out of a long history of programming around local writers and writing groups and more recent support of the Maker Movement. The new tools and services of digital printing and publishing make it possible for public libraries to provide self-publishing services to their community like never before. (Conrad, 2017, p.1)

Libraries can have a signifcant role in memoir creation and self-publishing by developing programs and services out of preexisting ones, such as writers workshops. One of the solutions to the collection development challenges is creating partnerships with self-publishing platforms including Biblioboards SELF-e platform and Smashwords. SELF-e is a project with Library Journal where users can upload self-published ebook fles for the curation and inclusion in the SELF-e statewide collection (Conrad, 2017). Both SELF-e and Smashwords work to address the issues of the quality of self-published titles as well as discoverability. At SELF-e, authors must submit their works to be included in the database. The submission process helps to address the concern of the self-published ebooks quality with only those selected by Library Journal being added to the database. In subscribing to SELF-e, libraries can provide their patrons access to a large database of self-published ebooks. Pricing is based on population served, making it affordable for smaller libraries to subscribe (“SELF-e FAQ,” 2018). Toronto Public Library is currently subscribed to SELF-e. Unlike SELF-e, Smashwords does not have a submission and review process with the main focus on mass distribution and sales, instead. Smashwords is a free ebook publishing and distribution platform and boasts of being the world’s largest indie ebook distributor (“Smashwords About,” 2018). On Smashwords, authors retain ownership of their books and set their own prices (“Smashwords About,” 2018). Smashwords has Global retail distribution to Apple iBooks (51 countries), Barnes & Noble, Kobo, OverDrive and more. In 2012 Smashwords announced Library Direct, “a new service that allows libraries and library networks to acquire iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 45 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries and establish large opening collections of ebooks, direct from Smashwords.” (Coker, 2012). However, it is limited to libraries who host and run their own ebook checkout systems. Toronto Public Library does not appear to have any connection to Smashwords, according to their website.

HOW LIBRARIES HAVE BROUGHT SELF-PUBLISHING INTO THE LIBRARY

One strategy for bringing self-publishing into the physical library space has been to develop programs and services out of existing initiatives, including makerspaces and local culture and history (Conrad, 2017). Self-publishing tools can be incorporated into the broader agenda of libraries as places of creation, including the makerspace movement (Conrad, 2017). Autobiography and biography, including location-based autobiographies, are the third most popular self-published genre behind fction and history. The popularity makes it a natural ft with the library as a community center that supports its community through local endeavors and preserving local history (Conrad, 2017). One print-on-demand technology that libraries can provide is the Espresso Book Machine. Mid-Continent Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri, currently uses an Espresso Book Machine in their Story Center, which was established in 2013. The Story Center offers services that “empower library customers to create stories, share those stories, and connect with the stories of others.” (“MyMCPL Story Center,” 2018). The three key areas of the center are “create,” “share,” and “connect.” In “create” the library pushes the belief that everyone has a story or stories to tell, and the center is there to support writing. The main resource under “create” is the Story Center’s unique Storytelling Certifcation Program offered in partnership with Metropolitan Community College and Mid-Continent Public Library, where you can earn your certifcation in either written storytelling or oral storytelling with the promise of a digital storytelling certifcate to be offered in the future. The programs have twelve required courses, a capstone project, and several written requirements (“MyMCPL Story Center,” 2018). Even if you do not obtain the full certifcate, patrons can participate in any and all the workshops. One of the most important features of this certifcate is that it is completely free, making the skills to write far more accessible. In the “share” portion of the Story Center you fnd the print-on- demand Espresso Book Machine. In addition the Mid-continent Public Library has the publishing imprint, the Woodneath Press to which self-publishers can submit their work. In order to be published through Woodneath Press books must meet one of the two geographical requirements: 1. Local Author: The author must reside in one of MCPL’s reciprocal public library systems. 2. Local Content: If the author resides outside of the above-mentioned region, the Woodneath Press would consider submissions regarding content within the aforementioned Kansas City metro area. (Woodneath Press, 2018) In the Woodneath Press geographical requirements, the Story Center’s “share” mandate is connected to local history and community building as they look to assist local authors to publish and potentially expand the libraries local collection. Under “connect” is a series of events with the highlighted and most prominent event on the website being the Story Center Speaker Series (“Speaker Series,” 2018). The Story Center Speaker Series “showcases authors, creating iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 46 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries opportunities for the public to learn more about the craft of writing.” (“Speaker Series,” 2018). The library is offering space and resource to other writers and additionally having local authors as the speakers, connecting and creating community. Local community building is one of the key ways libraries can incorporate self-published memoirs. Los Gastos Library in California is the smallest independent public library in Santa Clara County (Bankhead, 2015). The library has been fortunate to have the town’s local history as a featured part of its collection (Bankhead, 2015). As a result Los Gatos has been able to welcome donations of print books from local authors and add them to its local author section in the library (Bankhead, 2015). Maintaining a local author section can be a burden as the library must meet with each other, read the book, make decisions, and then process and catalogue the item, something most other libraries do not have the time or staff to do (Bankhead, 2015). In order to introduce self-published ebooks, Los Gatos partnered with Smashwords to present a set of three programs. The frst program was a general overview about ebook availability, the second was a basic workshop on ebook self-publishing, and the third was on ebook self-publishing best practices (Bankhead, 2015). In addition, a co-branded Webportal was launched as a way to point local authors towards Smashwords (Bankhead, 2015). The fnal part of the partnership with Smashwords involved working with community partners to join together to publish ebooks (Bankhead, 2015). Los Gatos also partnered with SELF-e, to provide local authors with another model (Bankhead, 2015). Similar to Los Gastos Library, Kent District Library created a Local Indie book collection, of either self-published books or those published by small indie publishers, which is prominently displayed near the front entrance of the two largest branches (DeWild and Jarema, 2015). The next stage in the collection development is to expand to have Local Indie book collections in the other branches (DeWild and Jarema, 2015).

RECOMMENDATIONS The above examples have provided ways that libraries have successfully, or partially successfully begun to implement resources, programs, and collection development practices for bringing in self-published titles and supporting authors. The next steps are to look at how those ideas can be adjusted or used specifcally for self-published memoirs. There are three core steps that libraries can actively develop in order to support and encourage self-publishing: 1. Providing Resources 2. Programming 3. Collection Development To discuss the suggestions for self-published memoirs in public libraries this section will look at the Toronto Public Library and how it is currently supporting self-published memoirs and suggestions for improvements. The frst step for libraries to take is to encourage and support memoir writing and creation, frst through physical resources such as internet access, computer availability and materials on creative writing, and second through programming, workshops and spaces for group meetings. Memoirs can fall under ALA’s calls for libraries to be community spaces that support but also grow their communities (ALA, 2017). Ways to support memoir writing could be through offering space for writing groups and sharing/storytelling groups, organizing workshops on writing, storytelling and book design, providing resources such as

iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 47 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries subscriptions to tutorial videos including Lynda.com, and planning events such as author talks. Memoirs are a part of the community’s history and can be supported under the umbrella of local history, promoting the preservation of memory and creation of the local community. Bringing members of the community together to write and share builds relationships between community members and results in a stronger community. Through supporting memoir writing, libraries are transforming lives and transforming communities. Through these different streams libraries can promote and support memoir writing. Toronto Public Library has already begun the second step, programming, in offering Memoir Writing Workshops at several different branches. There is also a Memoir Writers group. However, there is only one at only a single branch, limiting accessibility to authors not in the area. Additionally, there is an upcoming Tips for Authors talk that focuses on fction and memoir writing (TPL, 2018). However, after the writing stage, there is very little support to progress into page layout, book design, printing and publishing. The only workshops available are on how to prepare your book for Asquith Press, the print-on-demand book printing service at the Toronto Reference Library. It is a beginner workshop and primarily focuses on the logistics of making a text block that will properly print with Asquith Press rather than on aesthetics or marketable designs (“Prepare Your Book for Publication on Asquith Press,” 2018). Concerning the third step, collection development, Toronto Public Library has a partnership with SELF-e where local authors can submit their self-published ebooks. On the Toronto Public Library webpage “Information for Self-Published Authors,” the library states it does welcome submissions; however, it warns that TPL receives large numbers of submissions and is very selective with their self-published titles purchases (“Information for Self-Published Authors,” 2018). TPL primarily purchases books of signifcant local interest or which have received media attention (“Information for Self-Published Authors,” 2018). The webpage encourages authors to obtain objective and unpaid book reviews (“Information for Self-Published Authors,” 2018). The acquiring of objective and unpaid reviews, particularly in places that a librarian would look, can be a hurdle for self-published authors. To address this hurdle, I have two potential suggestions. The frst is as earlier stated by Pacer, that libraries need to reconsider their collection development guidelines when it comes to self-published authors on requiring a reputable, objective, and unpaid review and perhaps open it up to a broader range of reviews. The second would be to have an in-house review board made up of volunteers from the publishing feld who could provide reviews to local authors while also being considered as an unpaid and objective review for the library’s consideration.

CONCLUSION

Research must be done on the impact of storytelling both on the individual and communal level. From this, there will be a better understanding of the need to maintain and encourage memoir creation and self-publishing in a public library setting. Through an examination of life writing, the current role of the library, and the current self-publishing trends there is evidence for the support of self-published memoirs. The analysis of each of these sectors resulted in the emergence of three clearly defned recommendations for libraries - providing resources, programming, and collection development. Each of the recommendations is intended to be put into practice. As library and information professionals, iJournal - Journal Vol. 4 No. 2, Spring 2019 48 Mullock / Self-Published Memoirs in Libraries it is our responsibility to store, preserve and share information and, in doing so, we store, preserve and share the human experience. Self-published memoirs are one of the many emerging opportunities to do so.

REFERENCES

ALA. (2017). American Library Association strategic directions. Retrieved from http://www.ala/. org ALA. (2018a). The benefts of public programming for participating libraries and audiences. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org ALA. (2018b.) Libraries transform campaign. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/libraries-transform-campaign Bankhead, H. (2015). Ebook self-publishing and the Los Gatos library: A case study. Robert D. Holley, ed. Self-publishing and Collection Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries (pp. 5-20). West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press. Cassell, K. A. (2015). Do large academic libraries purchase self-published books to add to their collection?. Robert D. Holley, ed. Self-publishing and Collection Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries (pp. 27-36). West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press. Coker, M. (2012). New smashwords direct enables libraries. Smashwords Blog. Retrieved from http://blog.smashwords.com/2012/08/new- smashwords-direct-enables-libraries.html Conrad, K. M. (2017). Public libraries as publishers: Critical opportunity. The Journal of Electronic Publishing, 20(1). Couser, G. T. (2011). Memoir: an Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. DeWild, M. & Jarema, M. (2015). Supporting self-publishing and local authors: From challenge to opportunity. Robert D. Holley, ed. Self-publishing and Collection Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries (pp. 21-26). West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press. Dilevko, J. & Dali, K. (2006). The self-publishing phenomenon and libraries. Library and Information Science Research, 28, 208-234. Gatekeepers. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.gatekeeperpress.com Ha, T-H. (2018, May 13). Are ebooks dying or thriving? The answer is yes. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/1240924/are-ebooks-dying-or-thriving-the-answer-is-yes/ Holley, B. (2013). The Self-Publishing Phenomenon. Against the Grain, 25(3), pp. 11-12. Holley, R. D. (2015). Introduction. Robert D. Holley, ed. Self-publishing and Collection Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Libraries (pp. 5-20). West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press.

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