I write a show every year based on the BC Library Associations Summer Reading Club, and this year I only managed to book 2 while another local performer booked 80!!! he also just uses his own Magic of Reading show.

This makes me wonder if the theme is needed, or is it just they went in another direction this year. I am told a lot of libraries don't like to have the same performers 2 years in a row.

Those who don't use themes will verify that they are not needed. Magic shows have it a bit easier because they can just change the magic words and get by. "The magic words are Dream Big, and I want you to say Big in a BIG way". Everything else is the same.

Chances are high that the guy with 80 had a way for them to see a sample of what he did in advance, either through a showcase or through emails with a video link, or through a DVD mailout.

And you are very right in saying that most libraries don't want the same performer two years in a row. They may not even want a ventriloquist if they had a puppeteer last year, though they generally think of us in two different categories.

There's probably more to his 80 and your 2 than meets the eye. How long has he been working successfully in that market, reputation, relations with librarians, this all contrilbutes to the result. I do a new themed library show every summer. The librarians that hire me expect me to have something NEW and related to what their summer theme will be. Without the theme my summer work in libraries would be substantially diminished. Of course, all this is only regionally valid. If that's not what most poeple do where you work, it doesn't apply.

There are magicians here that essentially do the same show with minor changes too. That's fine. I like developing new stuff so I do it and now I have a large rabid following. That took YEARS. If nobody is doing that in your market, new shows with new material may not be of great value to those who hire.

How many libraies have you worked in summers past?

Yes, some libraries do not want to hire the same person 2 years in a row. Plenty here do, some have me every other year or every few years and some several times each year.

If California does go with the Underground theme ("Dig into Reading") next year I may dust off my gold rush show. Ex. Take your picks! (Show 3 ways to pick out a book.)
Dig deep to strike gold! (Read at least 3 chapters before giving up on a new book.)
Pay close attention. (Picture what you are reading.)
Eureka! (You dug up a good book!)

Over the last couple of summers, I did 60+ libraries and they all told me two things - 1 how much they loved my shows and 2 thanked me for actually having a show about books and reading.

Then this year (or last fall when I started the promotion process) I am told budgets have been cut (which I had heard on the news) and they were going to use local entertainers as they couldn't afford hotels etc.

Then they turn around and hire another guy from where I live, unless he picked up the expenses.

He probably did pick up the expenses. You can offer one show for x dollars and two shows in the same county (U.S.) or general area for a savings off of 2x dollars. Ex. One show for $250 or two shows in the same county for $400. This earns you enough to pay for the hotel yourself, hopefully, when you are talking about so many libraries.

Tony, terrific ideas for the 2013 "Dig into Reading" theme. I gonna clip and paste those into my 2013 Library Idea file.

I assume you mean the theme outline and not the pricing. (Though I use the pricing of 2 shows at a reduced rate consistently.) Libraries are the best of any at working together.

Outline first thoughts:
Dig into books:
Have a gold covered book. (Ex. order a specially painted one from Axtell) Talk about the Gold Rush. Gold isn't easy to find.
Take your picks! (Show 3 ways to pick out a book.) 1. See if your favorite author has another book.
2. Find the book that inspired a movie you like. (name several movies that came from books) Remember, you can't judge a book by its movie.
3. Ask the librarian. Tell her something you liked and she can recommend some other books.
Dig deep to strike gold! (Read at least 3 chapters before giving up on a new book.)
1. If a book seems too hard count the number of words on one page that you don't know. If there are more than 5 then save that book for another year.
2. If less than 5 you can probably figure out what it means in the story.
Pay close attention. (Picture what you are reading.) Gold diggers can't be distracted! The gold might wash out while they are daydreaming.
Eureka! (You dug up a good book!)

Magic tricks that produce gold: Ickle-pickle cylinder of plenty $60?
E-Z magic penny tray (put gold coins in place of pennies in the secret slot) $5
Dove pan (put in some dirt take out gold coins or gold nuggets)

Other gold miner magic tricks:
Lota Bowl: They needed lots of water and lots of patience
Devil's Hank: They were out in the mountains and they might hide their food in the trees
(make food vanish and a little mouse (Judy mouse) appear).
Blasting: Play a song that keeps speeding up while you have a few kids up front play hot potato with a foam stick of dynamite or foam bomb. (Peachy-Keene foam products). $30-45?. I've used "Hall of the Mountain King". Great song. When you stop the music that constitutes the bomb going off and the last to touch it has to sit down. If you're good at recording you can put your own blast sounds in the song.

Skit ideas: Miners paid good money to see traveling shows (just like this one) that would entertain them. Some shows had singers and some shows told stories. Act out a story with a puppet.
Have a puppet who made her fortune by opening a supply store.
Discuss the points above with a puppet.

I am sorry to say but there are those who might not have as much experience as you but if they can afford to undercut you and get the gig, they will. Its happening sll over the world. The libraries budgets can only allow for so much money to be spent on them..I have lost a few gigs due to that...but I do not rely on it for a living, where as most full time, like you do. Its not only happening in the libraries, its happening at the birthday parties as well. I can not speak for other venues, but just those have shown their ugly head, where as scalpers/under cutters are hurting the experienced. All I can say is good luck.

That could be a subject for a whole other thread - those who undercut and steal business.