Columbia County Authors Special Collection - Overview

The St. Helens Public Library is establishing a special collection of books by Columbia County authors. The Columbia County Authors Special Collection will be housed in the Library, and most items will be available for check out. The collection will support local authors and make their work more accessible to the Columbia County community.

The special collection is part of a broader effort by the St. Helens Public Library and Lower Columbia County Anthology organizers to support Columbia County writers through multiple efforts that will culminate in a month-long series of workshops and events beginning February 14, 2026.

SPECIAL COLLECTION GUIDELINES

 

  • Each author may donate one book to the collection.
  • Books must be in print format (no audio or e-books).
  • To be eligible books do NOT have to be produced by a traditional publisher or distributed through “brick and mortar” bookstores or online retailers.
  • Any binding is acceptable (paperback, hardcover, spiral binding, etc.).
  • Books may not contain AI-generated content or images.
  • If an author already has a book in the main collection, they may submit an additional copy to the special collection or submit a different title.
  • Books added to this collection become the property of St. Helens Public Library. Decisions about retention will be made using the library collection development policy.

 

PROCESS AND TIMELINE

 

We are now accepting expressions of interest from authors who would like to have their books considered for inclusion in this special collection. The key dates are as follows:

 

 

Step

When

Authors submit expression of interest form

November 10 - 21, 2025

Authors notified if their book has been accepted

By December 3, 2025

If accepted, authors drop off their book at the library for cataloging and processing

By December 12, 2025

Special collection debuts at St. Helens Public Library

February 14, 2026

 

 

HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED MORE INFORMATION?

 

For more information, please see Frequently Asked Questions. If you have questions about the special collection or need further information, please contact Nicole Woodruff, St. Helens Public Library Technician, at nwoodruff@sthelensoregon.gov.

 

  • To submit a book for consideration click here.
  • To view frequently asked questions (FAQs) click here.