Local Authors’ Shelf

To showcase and support our many authors now living in West Hartford, the library has placed an “Authors’ Shelf” near the Local History Room at the Noah Webster Library in the town center. Apply using this FORM (pdf).

This “Authors’ Shelf” is for recent works (within the last three years) written by authors currently living in West Hartford who have contributed a copy of their book or music CD for circulation. The Authors’ Shelf is located near the Circulation Desk at the Noah Webster Library, 20 S. Main Street, West Hartford. A current West Hartford Libraries’ card is required to submit an item for Authors’ Shelf consideration.

Authors wishing to contribute books to our Authors’ Shelf must meet the following criteria:

• Fiction and Non-Fiction Prose: The work must be over 100 bound sheets of paper.
• Poetry: The work must be over 45 bound sheets of paper.
• Music CDs will be accepted but must be of professional caliber – packaging must be the standard dimension of the typical music CD. If the CD is from a group, at least one member of the group needs to have a West Hartford Libraries’ card.
• The work’s binding must be strong enough to withstand at least 20 readings/circulations. Books will be removed from the collection and deacquisitioned when bindings give out. Authors can search the online catalog at any time to determine whether their works are still in the collection.
• Each contributed book must be accompanied by a Submission Form with the following information completed:
  1. full legal name of author or performer;
  2. full title – from the book title page, not the cover;
  3. date of publication or release (no more than 3 years old);
  4. your West Hartford Libraries current card number

The library will only accept one copy of each item. Books and CDs contributed to this collection become the property of the library and will not be returned. The West Hartford Library reserves the right to refuse any title, or remove any title without notice, at any time, for any reason.

Contributed books and music CDs will be shelved on the “Authors’ Shelf” for three years. After three years, the book may be removed from the shelf to make room for newer works. Removed books will not be returned to contributors.

If you are not a current West Hartford resident but have written a book, the library will also consider adding your book to its regular collection using the criteria listed in its Materials Collection Policy (PDF).

For more information, please email: reference@westhartfordlibrary.org