There are two ways that you can use the Street Library to promote your books:

1/ By labelling and distributing your books yourself (in which case, you yourself nominate the charity where any “thank you” donations should be made); or,

2/ By simply sending each book to myself first, where it will then be labelled, and initially be distributed via a series of social media competitions. And from there to the general public.

And although these competitions attract around just 500 entrants each week, sharing the competition image with friends is a condition of entering each competition – so the actual competiton image (which includes the cover images of each of your donated books) is viewed up to 10,000 times.

In this case though, it is the competition-winner who nominates the receiving charity.

If you do indeed decide to send your books here first, to be distributed via social media competitions, then sending at least 4 different books means that competition-entrants are asked to “follow” your own social media accounts (on Twitter/X, Facebook and/or Bluesky) as a condition of entry to the competition.

On average, each competition attracts over 500 entries across the three social media platforms (sometimes a lot higher). And who doesn’t want lots of new followers/friends?

If you send just one, two or three books though, they will still be distributed via these same competitions (but, with up to 9 other books which have been donated by other publishers/authors). In this case though, following your own social media accounts is not a condition of competition entry. You’ll still be tagged in the competition tweet though, signalling that you donated that book, but following your own accounts will be optional (a lot of people entering these competitions do follow everyone tagged though –  “just in case”).

To take part in the Street Library charity fundraising scheme, and have your books promoted in a future Street Library social media competition, please post your books (just one, two or three – or at least four different books if you wish competition-exclusivity) to:

Iain McGeachin
3 Mcdowall Terrace
Maybole
KA19 7HW