APL Shop

Submissions are open from January 1 to January 31, 2026!

Apply to the Program

What is LACP?

APL Shop’s Local Author Consignment Program (LACP) proudly features books by authors in the Greater Austin area—bringing local voices to our shelves and into the hands of the community.

What is LACP looking for?

We’re looking to carry books for all age groups in the following formats/genres:

• Novels
• Non-fiction
• Art books, poetry collections, and zines
• Austin or Texas history
• Bilingual materials

All submissions are reviewed individually. We evaluate each book using the Austin Public Library’s Materials Selection Policy and the IBPA Industry Standards Checklist.

Eligibility/Requirements

• Do you live in Travis, Williamson, or Hays County? If you reside outside of these three counties, you are ineligible.
• Are you currently a City of Austin employee? Current City of Austin employees and employees who have left a COA position within the last 12 months are not eligible.
• Are you willing to create a City of Austin Vendor account? For more info on what is required to become a COA Vendor, please click here. If you’ve created a City of Austin Vendor account before, you don’t have to create another one, though we recommend that you ensure your info is up to date.
• If accepted, you will be required to sign a consignment agreement, register as a vendor, consign 6 copies of your book, and drop off your books in person at APL Shop. Are you able and willing to do all of the above? 

What do I need to apply?

1. Submit a complete application through Submittable during the submission period. We do not consider submissions via email or any other application outside of Submittable.
   1. We accept one title per author. Please submit only one application. If multiple applications are received, only the first will be considered.
   2. You are required to create a Submittable account if you do not already have one.
2. A digital writing sample. This is the most important part of your application and will be the primary material used in our review. Tip: Choose your most recent or representative work.
   1. For fiction or nonfiction:
      1. Submit first 2 chapters or the first 2000 words
      2. PDF, DOC/X
   2. For poetry:
      1. Submit 3-5 poems
      2. PDF, DOC/X
   3. For children’s books:
      1. Submit 4 pages
      2. PDF, PNG, JPG
3. Patience. It may take up to a month before you hear back from us. We recommend keeping an eye on your inbox, including the Junk/Spam folder. We reply to everyone regardless of acceptance. 

How does consignment with APL Shop work?

We’re operated by the City of Austin, so our consignment process works a bit differently than most retail shops.

Timeline

January 1: Submissions open. Review process begins.

January 31: Submissions close.

February 1-16: Decisions are emailed. We reply to everyone regardless of the decision. Accepted authors will be assigned a consignment period. 

March 1 and onward: Consignments for the year begin. Books cycle out every two months. 

If accepted for a later consignment period, we will reach out one month before to ensure that you have plenty of time to:

• Review and fill out the Consignment Agreement
• Register to be a City of Austin Vendor
• Book an appointment to drop off 6 copies of your book

Details

Duration: Each consignment period lasts two months and features a curated selection of titles. Books may be grouped by genre, library programming, season, or holiday themes. 

Scheduling: If accepted, your consignment period will be scheduled for a future date. We open submissions once a year and plan the calendar based on those entries—so your slot may be several months out.

Inventory: If accepted, we will consign six copies of each book. We may reach out to you during your consignment period for more books, depending on sales. You may include a small 5”x7” flyer, bookmarks, and business cards.

Pricing & Payment: Authors set the retail price. Sales tax is added at checkout. Authors receive 85% of each sale (pre-tax); APL Shop retains a 15% commission. At the end of your consignment period, we’ll provide a sales report and request an invoice. Payment is processed using your City of Austin Vendor account (find more info on what is required to become a COA Vendor here). You will be issued a check within 30 days of receiving your invoice. This is the only form of payment available. 

Promotion: Sales are not guaranteed. We encourage authors to promote their books through social media and other channels to help drive interest. We may create content for our social media platforms that includes your title, but this is not guaranteed. 

Ready to submit?

Please Review Carefully:

• You have read and agreed to all program details.
• You have confirmed your eligibility to participate.
• You’ve selected your writing sample
• You have enough time to finish the application. The application could take up to 20 minutes to complete.

Apply to the Program

Submissions closed?

We only accept books through consignment via submissions that are open once a year. If you'd like to be notified when the next submission period opens, please email us at libraryshop@austintexas.gov.

Additional questions/concerns?

Please email us at libraryshop@austintexas.gov.