Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) continues its goal of supporting and encouraging aspiring novelists with the launch of a new, online “Writers’ Corner,” where aspiring novelists, as well as readers looking for something new, can create, share, and discover works introduced right here in Fort Bend County.
The new “Writers’ Corner” on FBCL’s website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) includes three unique tools – PressBooks Public, the Indie Author Project, and the BiblioBoard Library – that enable writers, as well as readers, to create, publish, or discover digital content made by and for the local community.
“We are excited to be able to offer this suite of online resources for the community,” says Library Director Clara Russell. “The PressBooks Public feature will provide a platform empowering local writers to make their dreams of becoming a published author a reality, while the Indie Author Project will help them promote and distribute their works to a wider audience. Those who love ebooks will find new materials and possibly even discover a rising star amongst the offerings in the BiblioBoard Library collection.”
The first instrument in the suite of resources – PressBooks Public – is a digital self-publishing tool designed to help aspiring writers easily create their own professional-quality print-ready and ebook files that can be distributed commercially or shared in FBCL’s Writers’ Corner. Users have unlimited access to this resource, which requires no previous design or tech experience.
Writers can choose from a variety of premade design templates to instantly give their book a professional layout. The author maintains complete ownership of any and all book files created using PressBooks Public, and they can publish or distribute those files however they choose.
The second tool is the Indie Author Project. This resource gives local writers the opportunity to submit ebooks for inclusion in the BiblioBoard Library collection in FBCL’s Writers’ Corner. As part of a partnership with Library Journal, this resource also offers the potential for inclusion in the royalty-paying Indie Author Project Select collections available at libraries all across the U.S. and Canada.
Books that are not selected for Library Journal’s Indie Author Project Select collection may still be considered for the Indie Texas collection, which is available to participating libraries around the state. Both avenues help authors to promote their work and gain further exposure, whether it is locally or nationally.
The third feature in this suite — the BiblioBoard Library – will attract the interest of readers who are looking for digital works from self-published authors, top indie ebooks, local collections, and more. Items in this collection are always available, so there is never a waiting list or limit for the number of check-outs.
Writers who create works in PressBooks Public and participate in the Indie Author Project will find their ebooks added to the BiblioBoard Library, where they can be enjoyed by the general public.
Readers can access the BiblioBoard Library collection through FBCL’s website or by downloading the BiblioBoard Library app for Apple, Android, or Kindle devices.
Creating a username and password is required for using the PressBooks Public and BiblioBoard Library features. Having an account enables writers to create and store their works in the PressBooks Public tool, and it allows readers to access the BiblioBoard Library ebook they are reading from locations outside the county, use “bookmarks,” and sync their preferences. The same username and password will accommodate both the PressBooks Public and BiblioBoard Library features.
When creating an account, users will select Fort Bend County Libraries and then enter their library-card barcode number. FBCL will then be saved as their preferred library for future access.
These services are free to the public. For more information, see Fort Bend County Libraries’ website (www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) or call the library system’s Communications Office at 281-633-4734.