Update on Little Brother school/library donation program
Last week, I told you about my donations program for my new book, Little Brother. Every time I put a book online for free, I'm inundated by offers of cash "tips" from people who got the ebooks for free. I don't want anyone's money (cutting my publisher out of the loop isn't good for them or me), so I came up with an alternative. I asked librarians and teachers who wanted free copies to step forward and put their names down, and now I'm looking for would-be "donors" to step forward and send them copies of the book.
The project's been a smashing success so far: dozens of librarians, teachers and related trades put their names down for free copies, and we've started to fulfil the orders at a good clip. There's plenty of open orders left, though -- if you're one of those people who wants to compensate me for the free ebook, here's your chance!
Link
the latest
latest episodes
Sorry for my english, but when the novel will be translated to spanish??
Thanks
Cory, my sage, would those libraries have purchased the book if it were not made available for free? If they would have, then the money is being taken away from the publishers. If not, then it isn't an issue.
What in the heck is going to happen when we all start using electronic books? You know, the good ones that satisfy all our tactile needs, even warming up for cold hands? What's going to happen with the Free marketing strategy then? Seriously, this Free e-books is going to turn around and bite us in the ass. "Oh, I would never give up my paper books," said Joe. "I love them too much." Maybe so for Joe, but on a planet with dwindling resources and rapidly improving technology, it's not going to be long before we each have our favorite e-books that contain entire libraries of many thousands or even millions of books. So when you give away that free copy for downloading, knowing the paper sales will only improve because of it, what's going to happen when the paper isn't there? Back to pirating issues and DMRs? What happens when all the poor Chinese and Indians improve their standard of living and want to own books? Are there enough trees in the world to supply the pulp required to make billions and billions and billions of books? No, there aren't. And think of all the carbon and other chemicals that get put into the atmosphere and water to make the paper to make the books and then to truck them in and put them on the shelf. Right now, a reasonable carbon tax on the average 350 page hardback book would make it cost about $60.00. And it's only going to go up from there because anything that requires fossil fuels is going up in price.
In b4 people freaking out about Cory turning boingboing into an infomercial for his books.
Thank you for doing this. Our book came in yesterday, and I *did* manage to convince the higher ups to consider adding it to the catalog.
So here's at least one library that wouldn't have had a copy otherwise. :)
thanks for putting this up again - -I just donated to a local middle school!
Done. I donated a copy to the library of my nephew's high school. If ever it was needed anywhere...
But what if you didn't want to pay retail (even if is it discounted) price for your "tip"? There's no way to give what YOU want to give.
And I haven't read the book yet, I haven't offered to "tip" Cory, I'm just thinking that when other people offer money, they might be thinking more of the "pay what you want" model than paying the actual price of the book. Because you know, people could have just bought the book if they were going to pay full price.
And yes, I know some people don't want a physical book to mess with, which is the one situation that this school donation thing does work for.
I'll be at the Naperville, IL book-signing tomorrow, so maybe I'll snag an extra copy to donate!
'm s sck f ths pthtc nd shmlss pstng bt yr wrk. Hr's smthng t tll yr pblshr: wn't vr by ny f yr bks bcs f ths.
NWS LRT T CRY: ppl rd BB bcs f th rrvrnt cpy, nt t rd bt th sbjct y sm t fnd mst fscntng--yrslf.
'm srry, bt 'v hd ngh.
@LearnToLoveTheBomb,
You've had enough? That was your one and only comment... Me thinks that you need to chill and try to remember the rest of the Dr Strangelove title.
Maybe we could get up a betting pool. People could pick numbers and the person who picks the number of the first comment whining about Cory, gets the prize.
The moderator or one of her assistants could hold the bets.
Torrance, why didn't you tell your friends about the book? You're supposed to spread the good word! You are a meme vector, damnit! And don't forget it.
I recently finished Little Brother (which I only found out about through Cory talking about it on BB, which is rather the site for tooting his own horn I would think. And he doesn't even do it on a regular basis!) and really enjoyed it. I work at a library, and I was very disappointed to see that we don't have it, even on order! I may have to sneak my copy into the system instead of keeping it. Or hound the YA specialist. Either way.
I concur with #10. This is Cory's blog, and I read it because this is an insight to what Cory thinks is cool, not "irreverent copy". Cory thinks his book is cool, and I can't wait for the blog post that Cory's in Seattle.
I've been here for nearly a decade. You think he didn't blog about Down and Out!? Check it out... 30 posts: http://www.google.com/search?q=allintitle:++%22down+and+out%22+site:boingboing.net&as_qdr=all&filter=0
Cory, keep up the fine work.
After reading the free version I donated a copy to a school I picked randomly on the list. Thank you for setting this up.
Here's hoping that instead of whining about whether Boing Boing is the appropriate place for these sorts of things, that people take action and do something to put a book in a kid's hands. Whether it's Little Brother or any other great book, complaining about Cory's completely justified posting (it's not even "self-promotion" since he's asking you to buy the book for schools that want it) doesn't do much to change the world for the better.
@Jeff:
"Cory, my sage, would those libraries have purchased the book if it were not made available for free? If they would have, then the money is being taken away from the publishers. If not, then it isn't an issue."
As I understand it, the libraries are getting a copy of the book "for free" because someone is buying it for them at full retail price. If even one of those libraries would not have bought it themselves, this is a win for the publisher.
@LB
"There's no way to give what YOU want to give."
Life's tough sometimes. On the other hand, if you absolutely must give some exact amount that isn't the price of the book, it might not be too hard to guess which non-profits Cory likes and make a donation. If you're upset someone hasn't made it easy enough to be voluntarily nice to others on their behalf, you may be missing the point.
Hey, I get a tax deduction because it's a donation to a school, right? Stickin' it (well, 20% of it) to the man!
The moderator or one of her assistants could hold the bets.
Dude! Did you forget the drinking game already? Every time someone complains that 1) a post is not wonderful, 2) that it's old news or 3) that it's shameless self promotion, you have to take a shot. Your choice of liquor, although to be fair, it should have a really high alcohol content or at least be anise flavored.
Bomb,
Vaya con Dios.
@twoshort:
And you're missing my point, which that this isn't the ultimate solution for people who want to donate "something" but didn't want to actually buy the book.
Actually, you're missing two points, because why are you telling me off? I haven't read the book yet.
However, I did think of the charity thing after I posted, and I suppose people could make donations to the EFF in Cory's name. Any other good charities people can think of that would be appropriate to the theme of the book? The ACLU?
@7 Learntolovethebomb, I'll buy two more copies and donate them to make up for you not buying one. So thanks for the motivation.
Amazon rankings:
#1 in Books > Teens > Science & Technology > Computers
#47 in Books > Children's Books
#65 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary
#373 in Books
The #4 book in Teens > Sci & Tech > Computers is the 600 page $83 Management of Information Security 2/e. Go Teens!
Twoshort, I figured as much with regard to the library, so it wasn't an issue. Unless you buy the book, read it, then give it to a library, then you would be taking away a sale that might have happened all on its own. Libraries as we know them are doomed. Everything is going to be digital. I know this because very smart sf writers have told me so :)
I received an advance copy so I could write a review for my high school's newspaper - now I'm donating the book to the town's local library. Thanks for the great idea, Cory!
The people that are whining about "self-promotion" should get a grip.
As others have pointed out, this is, at least partially, Cory's blog. He only has a book come out every year and a half or so. It isn't like he is promoting a new book here every quarter (though I wouldn't mind).
It seems reasonable for one of the authors of this blog to promote his new books when they come out every couple of years.
@LB (& @TwoShort):
I think it makes sense that donators should be able to donate the amount that they want to donate (a virtual tip jar), which was asked for early on. This can easily be implemented in a way that satisfies everyone, with a small amount of thought:
I read the book, I donate a buck. LB reads the book, he donates a buck. You read the book, you donate 10 bucks. We have now donated $12, enough for a book (ok, someone else donates the few cents and shipping).
School X asks for the book. There is $12 in the tip jar. The tip jar pays for School X's book.
@20:
"#65 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary"
This is huge success. Do you know how many well known authors have never broken the Amazon top 100? This is far more popular than I expected this book to be.
Set the clock and start taking bets. I'm waiting for the first news story of this book being banned from a school library for being subversive and disrespectful to authority. It'll happen. Just watch.
@SamSam:
Yeah, that generally works. If people want to donate to a fund, then little bits of generosity (aka smaller amounts of money) can be collected and put to good use.
The problem is that Cory has clearly stated that he doesn't want to collect any money from the book that doesn't go through his publisher. He's not interested in cutting his publisher out of the loop and possibly destroying his relationship with them. This isn't Nine Inch Nails, this is an author who wants to honor his publishing contract while still making his book available to as many people as possible.
And seriously, if people are really arguing that 12 dollars to buy a book is too much and you should be able to donate something less than that, then you need to re-examine your priorities. You're being miserly over a matter of 12 dollars, and because of your 12 dollar gap, a library that actively wants to put this book out there for kids to read and learn from isn't going to get that book. Pony up the 12 bucks already and spring for the full fledged copy of the book so a library can have it. Many of us pay far more for things that are far less important.
If you buy a book for a library or school, you get to give Cory some money for writing it, you get to give the publisher some money for making it available, and the library gets a free book. It's a win win win situation for everyone.
Jeff, the publisher isn't worried. Lots of librarians are buying Little Brother in the usual way. Also, people who read and enjoy this book are much likelier to buy Cory's next book; and even if they never read another word he writes, enjoying this one makes them likelier to buy and read more books in the future. As long as you don't publish bad books, everybody wins.
...
See LearntoLovetheBomb @9? He's posted to Boing Boing twice before, the first time some weeks ago. All three times LtLtB has posted, it's been to denounce Cory for his unspeakably evil self-promotion (not all of it involving Little Brother). Some kind of issue there. What was different about today is that LtLtB finally figured out how to register.
...
Antinous, I think the drinking game should also make you take a drink every time someone tries to sneak in a URL that has nothing to do with the entry. Ditto, when someone announces that the victim of some police or DHS outrage had it coming, or brought it on himself or herself.
Marcelo @29, it would take a lot to seriously damage Cory's relationship with his publisher. They think he's swell, and they really like this book.
I'd agree if I were sober enough to read what you wrote.
You should append the drinking game to the moderation policy. You catch more trolls with irony than with sincerity, as they say.
Do a shot every time someone says they need their guns to defend themselves against government thugs coming to take away their guns. Just thinking about that one makes me want to drink.
Okay, Cory, I'm a librarian and I'm halfway through the book. (I was completely jittery the morning after I started reading it, thanks for the paranoid dreams!) I just have to ask, does this giveaway have anything to do with the just-say-yes-to-government-datamining attitude that the librarian character clings to in the beginning of the story? Because most in my profession like data, like datamining, but even more than that we like our - and our patrons' - privacy. The giveaway is certainly appreciated, but I wonder if this stems from a wee bit of author's guilt?
Once we have finished brainstorming the drinking game, I will petition to have it appended to the moderation policy.
game? I've been doing this from the beginning. Can't you tell?
@ Marcelo: The tip jar would pay for the book through normal book-buying means, and thus though the publisher. Everyone is still happy.
Teresa @ 30: I think the drinking game should also make you take a drink…when someone announces that the victim of some police or DHS outrage had it coming, or brought it on himself or herself.
Oh, dear. One would get at least mildly sozzled every time one visited BoingBoing, but reading Consumerist would become an instant recipe for alcoholism.
@34, what Librarian character?
I doubt Cory would be doing all of this work on donating copies of the book simply out of guilt for a walk-on mention of the school library. That whole section goes along with all the other discussions of the lack of privacy at school for the kids in the book. Nothing to feel guilty about. Perhaps you are simply sensitive to some sort of mention of your profession that doesn't paint all members of it in glowing terms?
"There's plenty of open orders left"
Corey: There're plenty of librarians who're going to be pissed off by that "there's".
Jeff... Also, people who read and enjoy this book are much likelier to buy Cory's next book...
But we don't want to promote books. We want to promote ebooks so we don't waste paper. And since we're getting used to Free-E, I have to assume the books we'll be downloading will be Free, but we'll also have to look at ads. Paper bad. Less CO2 good. Boing Boing Green? The more populare the writer, the more expensive ad space will be. And If you want to read it again and again, you can, but you'll have to update the ads. Seriously. And there will be a market for paper. Will you pay 60-plus bucks for an average hardback?
#39, Marcus' dad is a librarian who consults for dataminers. Pretty odd considering how most real-life librarians feel about the PATRIOT Act.
I wanted to ask, can I hand deliver to someone on the list? The nearest is only a few blocks away!