PR re Library from Smashwords/D2D (extract)

[Quoth]

We're pleased to share the great news that Smashwords and Draft2Digital now distribute to Palace Marketplace!

Palace Marketplace is a new, fast-growing platform used by about 400 public library systems in the United States to acquire ebooks.

Authors will earn 60% list on all sales, significantly more than the 45% earned from other library platforms. Similar to the other library platforms that Smashwords and Draft2Digital distribute to, Palace Marketplace expects to take all categories of ebooks except erotica. Palace Marketplace operates in the United States only.

From email subject: Smashwords Adds New Library Distribution with Palace Marketplace!

Palace Marketplace expects to take all categories of ebooks except erotica.

Ironic as that was the reason Smashwords was founded. However it's fast becoming the minority genre on the site, which also distributes to Barnes&Noble, Apple, Kobo, Scribd and others, giving a free extra option to Google Playbooks and Amazon KDP.
The same epub2 can be uploaded to Smashwords, Amazon KDP and Google Playstore Books.
Don't upload a doc except to generate LRF etc. Best to upload a dual mobi for their local Kindle customers.

They only redistribute epub.

[jhowell]

More on The Palace Marketplace from Library Technology Guides:

Palace Marketplace to offer more than 200,000 new titles by independent authors

February 9, 2023. Digital Public Library of America is pleased to announce the launch of a new independent author catalog in Palace Marketplace. Palace Marketplace now offers more than 1.2 million ebooks and audiobooks from all of the "Big 5" publishers, Amazon Publishing, Audible, hundreds of mid-sized and independent publishers, and independent authors. The addition of these new titles will help libraries expand access to diverse content at reasonable licensing terms while supporting independent authors.

Beginning on February 16, 2023, Palace Marketplace will offer more than 200,000 titles from Smashwords and Draft2Digital. At launch, all of these titles will be available with a perpetual one-at-a-time license, often at less than $10 per title, with more licensing options to be made available in the coming months. As an additional service to libraries, the DPLA Curation Corps of librarians will be preparing selections of recommended titles to help libraries quickly and easily identify titles appropriate for their collections. We expect to add hundreds of thousands of titles from Draft2Digital and other distributors over the course of the coming year.

"The arrangement between Draft2Digital and DPLA is music to the ears of indie authors, because it means our books will get into the hands of more library patrons," said Carole Mortimer, an award-winning, bestselling author of contemporary and historical romance novels. "In the coming days, my books will be accessible to more than 400 libraries and library systems across the U.S., with more on the way. These are exciting times!"

Library books are borrowed and read using The Palace Project app for iOS or Android, which isn't the best news for Kindle and Kobo owners.

[SteveEisenberg]

Does anyone have a list of the "more than 400 libraries?"

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Does anyone have a list of the "more than 400 libraries?"

If you install the app it has a list and allows searching. From what I could see they are mostly smaller libraries. I have cards for several libraries and none of them were included.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I have cards for several libraries and none of them were included.

Thank you. I installed the Palace Project app on my iPad and quickly went through the list.

I have many cards, almost all in Pennsylvania, and did not spot any Pa. libraries. It seems quite popular in New England.

[CathyA]

Thanks! I found five of my libraries, the largest being San Diego County and San Diego Public (city). They don't have L.A. or San Francisco.

[Skydog]

The viewer is rather basic. Font sizing, choice of: serif, sans-serif, dyslexia, or publisher default font (no custom). Black on white, white on black, sepia. Brightness slider and bookmarks.