Digital publishing company Smashwords and Califa, a consortium of 220 California libraries, have formed a partnership to distribute Smashwords eBooks in libraries and to give member libraries the ability to let patrons publish eBooks through Smashwords.

Library Journal explained the self-publishing process: “A patron will be able to use the Califa interface, being built with VuFind, to upload their manuscripts to Smashwords, which then will make the books available to its retail partners (such as Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple, Sony). But Smashwords will also notify Califa that a patron has uploaded a title and see if Califa wishes to purchase the title for its collection.”

Under the terms of the deal, Califa will buy 10,000 of Smashwords’ bestselling titles. The agreement will also allow library patrons to publish their own work through Smashwords and the libraries will own these works.

AppNewser has more: “These works will be available for checkout from the writer’s local library, as well as for sale through the Smashwords distribution network, which includes Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Baker & Taylor’s Blio and Diesel.”