I run a bookclub & know people who run others--the books we pick have nothing to do with ratings & "professional" reviews
My library allows 3 suggestions a month, this is true for any patron, and I make suggestions all the time and they take all different kinds of stuff, some of which are MY books, some other indies. I ask my readers to request my books at libraries all the time.
You can believe the algos are all powerful... or you can go see what people are actually doing.