In celebration of Canadian culture and talent, allow me to introduce you to 49th Shelf – an online database designed to make it easier for readers to find Canadian books by Canadian authors.
Similar to Goodreads, those who sign up for a membership (which is free,) can populate a user profile and use the website to search for new book titles. 49th Shelf features reading lists and new releases, and you can also search for books by author or by book title. Each book listing includes the cover, description, publisher and retail information and links that redirect to the outlets carrying the title for purchase.
While it isn’t necessary to become a member, joining the 49th Shelf community allows you to contribute reviews, comments and book ratings, create and share reading lists and recommendations, and enter to win advance copies and new releases through their giveaways.
49th Shelf also has a Read Local Map, allowing people to search by region for a particular title. So, for authors who have published a book with specific regional appeal, this feature can be a great way to elevate that.
Whether you choose to become a member or not, as a Canadian author, this is a hot spot for avid readers. Better yet, these readers are specifically looking for Canadian authors and titles, whether you’re a seasoned author or this is your debut novel.
49th shelf
49th shelf
So as an author, how do you get your book title listed?
New titles can be added to 49th Shelf via BiblioShare, a data aggregation service designed to support the Canadian book supply chain. BiblioShare is one of several products and services available through BookNet Canada – a non-profit organization serving the Canadian book industry.
The organization now offers a Webform service that allows small operations to create and manage metadata without needing ONIX files. Self-published authors can submit their books to BiblioShare directly, though there is a minimum $50.00 fee to list up to 10 book titles. For more information on BiblioShare and other BookNet Canada products, check out this FAQ.
If interested in having Tellwell submit your book to BiblioShare, please get in touch with the Marketing Department by emailing [email protected].
For more information on 49th Shelf, check out their FAQ section, or email [email protected]. If you’re on social media, join in on the conversation through their Facebook and Twitter feeds.
