Janet L. Flowers

Ethics within the serials family

This paper raises and answers some basic questions related to ethical issues in business and personal transactions among serials publishers, vendors, and librarians. It describes a real case study of Kamkin, a serials vendor experiencing financial difficulties, as a springboard to review how to make ethical decisions. The author hopes it will provoke the reader to reflect upon the ethical components of individual actions and how to approach business relationships ethically. The principles noted here are equally applicable to those dealing with monographic or electronic-resources business transactions.

Vendor-assisted e-selection and online ordering: optimal conditions

In response to demands from libraries, a number of library materials vendors have converted their in-house working databases into e-selection and online ordering tools for their customers. Some libraries have embraced these new sources to select titles and then export bibliographic, ordering, and invoice records into their automated acquisitions systems. These libraries have integrated the use of the vendor databases (e.g., GOBI, Collection Manager, Otto-Editions, I libri) into their daily selection and ordering operations. This article will address the forces behind this new approach, some results, the benefits, implications, trade-offs, and optimal conditions for success of this acquisition method. The authors will assess these issues through a more in-depth examination of the experiences at the University of North Carolina Academic Affairs Library and at the University of Chicago Libraries as well as findings in the literature.

Negotiations with library materials vendors: preparation and tips

Negotiations with library materials vendors can have a significant impact on a library’s success in terms of service to its users and effective use of its financial resources. As such, it is important to review key points to consider in negotiations with vendors. These negotiation points have increased dramatically within the past ten years as vendors have developed new services well beyond just obtaining the material as quickly and as inexpensively as possible. This article describes how to prepare for negotiations (including what materials and service issues to address) primarily for the firm order relationship, but many of the principles also apply to all methods of acquisition. It also reviews the major negotiation points for the library to consider in making decisions regarding vendor choice and services.

Operational efficiencies in acquisitions to minimize the impact of budget cuts upon library materials budgets

Because of recent US economic decline, the impact of budget cuts has been felt in most US economic sectors, including the materials budgets in libraries. Budget cuts or reversions obviously have a negative impact upon the dollars available for purchasing library materials. However, dealing with ambiguity regarding the amount of funds the library has to spend, plus the large number of vendor sources upon which the library must depend, creates a great deal of stress upon effective use of the limited library materials dollars. These uncontrollable factors are further exacerbated by delays in obtaining information regarding available funding. During these times of crises, operational efficiencies in the acquisitions policies, procedures, and methods can all play an important role in stretching scarce dollars, with very tight deadlines, as far as possible. This article outlines some of the operational efficiencies in place in a University Acquisitions Department before the latest crisis hit and the new ones that have been put into place as a result of closer scrutiny of the existing practices.

Time logs for searchers: How useful?

Abstract The Bibliographic Searching Section at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied its operation through the use of time logs. The six searchers recorded their daily activities from September through December 1977. Useful management data about search categories, average search times, and productive time available was obtained. It was used as the nucleus for a Justification requesting additional staff and stimulated further evaluation of policies and procedures.

Task force on out of print AAP/RTSD joint committee report

After the AAP/RTSD Joint Committee’s program on out of print at the ALA annual meeting in 1988, Sandy Paul asked for volunteers to delve more deeply into the problems of out of print materials. Over 125 individuals expressed interest in this task between the program and the Task Force’s meeting on June 24, 1989. Sandy began by reporting that the issue of out of print materials had been receiving some good publicity since formation of the task force. She cited a recent article in American Libraries [l] as well as a series of articles in Against the Grain [2-4]. She also introduced Edward Johnson of Abacus who announced that his company is negotiating with a major library sup plier to bring up an out of print database by the fall of 1989. Readers may get in touch with Mr. Johnson at the following address: POB 543, Owings Mills, MD 21117. Other news included an announcement that the Black Studies Discussion Group was holding a meeting at the same time as the Task Force to discuss the problem of O.P. titles in the field of Black studies. Also, it was noted that Bowker is publishing a new edition of The Glarsary of Terms for the Book Industry which could include some terminology relevant to out of print transactions. At the January 1989 meeting of the Task Force, the members divided into various working groups. The summer meeting, therefore, dealt primarily with receiving reports from the groups. The first subcommittee, “Author Contacts,” was chaired by Helen Miller. She reported that she had sent a letter to 22 author-affiliated organizations asking for their perspective on the out of print problems. She had heard from two. The Writers’ Guild, East indicated that their area of interest is film and television scripts and they did not think they could be of help. Helen Stephenson, from the Author’s Guild, responded and suggested that the Task Force

Standing orders: considerations for acquisitions method

Even though a substantial amount of the library materials budget may be allocated for standing orders, this method of acquisition is frequently not given the same attention as those used for traditional monographs and serials. This article describes some of the differences in standing order material, including their shared characteristics with both monographs and serials. It also reviews factors that make some standing orders a good candidate for an approval plan. The article also enumerates some considerations in vendor selection decisions, regardless of which acquisitions method is used. The author concludes that it is definitely time to assess how these materials are acquired and which type of vendor is used and to make decisions that extend our purchasing power.

Systems thinking about acquisitions and serials issues and trends

Abstract The Charleston Conference, under the guiding light of Katina Strauch, now looks back upon a rich tradition of information-packed sessions. This report attempts to synthesize the massive data gathered at the 1993 conference in a way that will organize the issues for both those attending and those not there. The author chose the theme, systems thinking, to illustrate how interrelated many scholarly communications issues really are. Topics covered ranged from document delivery to collection assessment, from electronic data interchange to current trends in publishing. The article is presented with a thematic approach, looking at the talks from four angles: perspective, context, evaluation, and communication.

AAP/RTSD joint committee meeting report

The Association of American Publishers/Resources and Technical Services Joint Committee exists to “consider mutual problems and to provide for the communication of ideas between members of the association and the division; to plan and sponsor meetings, seminars, studies, or other forms of communication on topics of common interest; and to encourage the exchange of ideas among publishers, wholesalers, and librarians, limited as always to appropriate and proper cooperation” [l]. Peter Simon of R. R. Bowker chaired the meet@ held on Saturday June 24, 1989. The committee took a full three hours to cover a lengthy agenda.

The reservation of out-of-print material: Promptness pays

Abstract The prompt identification and reservation of out-of-print titles wanted from a dealers catalog can result in the successful acquisition of a high percentage of the titles desired.