ACQNET v5n015 (May 9, 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/serials/stacks/acqnet/acqnet-v5n015 ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 5, No. 15, May 9, 1995 ======================================== (1) FROM: Barbara Fischer SUBJECT: Automating Acquisitions Systems (Public Library) (24 lines) (2) FROM: Charles Dabkowski SUBJECT: April BIP Plus Disc (8 lines) (3) FROM: Ann O'Neill SUBJECT: Technical Services Memorabilia (24 lines) (4) FROM: Carole Belle/Marilyn Ng SUBJECT: ALA Midwinter report of OP/G&E discussion groups (109 lines) (1)--------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 15:43:40 -0400 From: Barbara Fischer (Chesterfield Co. Pub. Lib.) Subject: Automating Acquisitions Systems The Chesterfield County Public Library is gathering information to support automation of our acquisitions processes. We are interested in the experiences of other public libraries' success in automating acquisitions functions including information on the acquisitions system selected and the criteria for selecting it, its capability of handling serials and periodicals, the usefulness and clarity of the documentation, standard and customized reports capability, the training provided, system support, responsiveness to problems, estimates of enhanced productivity, and any problems encountered. Additionally, we are interested in learning what were the most important questions you asked. Please respond directly to bfischer@leo.vsla.edu or by snail mail to Barbara Fischer, Head-Collection Development, Chesterfield County Public Library, P. O. Box 297, Chesterfield, VA, 23832. I will summarize for the list if there is interest. (2)--------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 11:13:28 -0400 From: Charles Dabkowski Subject: April BIP Plus Disc I can't load the March or April discs; Bowker has been no help. Can anyone help? Our PC has plenty of memory. [Editor's Note: There is something different about the April Disc. If anyone has the full story, please post to ACQNET. Thanks.] (3)---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 21 Apr 1995 11:29:59 -0400 From: Ann O'Neill (Univ. of SC) Subject: Technical Services Memorabilia My colleague Heidi Hoerman has started a "Technical Services Museum" so that our students may better understand current technologies through understanding past technologies. So far the majority of items she has received represent the cataloging department. For example, we have a book catalog, card platens, electric erasers, and a card set in library hand. I would like to include memorabilia from acquisitions, collection development, and serials departments. Vendor contributions are most welcome. If you have something you would like to contribute to the "museum", please contact me. Thank you on behalf Heidi, myself, and our students. Ann L. O'Neill, Instructor College of Library and Information Science University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208 803-777-1206 803-777-7938 (Fax) (4)---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 10:58:55 -0400 From: Carole Bell (Northwestern U.) Subject: G&E/OP discussion groups joint meeting at ALA Midwinter ALA ALCTS OUT-OF-PRINT AND GIFTS & EXCHANGE DISCUSSION GROUPS JOINT MEETING FEBRUARY 6, 1995 1. Announcements: -Books on Demand is now available on CD Rom for about $99 per year. -The new Gifts & Exchange Listserve will begin soon. Carole will send out message to ACQNET, Serialst, and Colldv-l -The topic for the next G&E discussion group will be tax laws. If anyone knows of a librarian or anyone else who would be a good speaker for this topic, please contact Carole Bell. 2. Discussion: How book dealers can help librarians with Gifts and OP: The topic for discussion at this meeting was how book dealers can help librarians acquire out-of-print materials for libraries and increase library revenue by purchasing unwanted items. The two speakers were Mr. George R. Allen of William H. Allen, Bookseller, Philadelphia and Mr. Samuel J. Hough of The Owl at the Bridge, Cranston, Rhode Island. Mr. Hough began the discussion by expressing the view that libraries are a great source of inexpensive stock for book dealers. Many low-priced items can be found for re-sale among the gifts that libraries wish to dispose of because they duplicate their current holdings or do not fit their collection profile. Both Messrs. Hough and Allen agreed that it is very unusual to find a rare or valuable book among these items as they have usually been reviewed beforehand by selectors. But if one were found, both would advise the library of its potential worth rather than merely buy it at below market price for a more profitable re-sale. From attending these numerous book sales, Mr. Hough believes that libraries sell their duplicates too cheaply and could make more money by employing the expertise of book dealers. Besides being customers at these sales, book dealers can further assist by disposing of large lots of unneeded books. Mr. Hough illustrated this point by relating his experience of helping a university library sell a rather sizable quantity of books that could not be used. At the library's request, Mr. Hough marketed this collection to various customers and was able to garner the amount the library was hoping for. This saved the library a significant amount of staff time in preparing the donation for sale and resulted in a beneficial infusion of money into their budget. Mr. Hough felt that libraries should make use of the book dealer's knowledge of local, national, and overseas markets for selling unwanted gifts as another source of revenue. They can take the burden of selling off libraries through their knowledge of demand and pricing variations which exist in those markets. Book dealers in turn would benefit from the commission or profit over the agreed upon selling price. Some group members raised the tangential issue that library collection withdrawals, unlike gifts, cannot be sold at all. They have been purchased with state monies and are regarded as state property. In those cases, libraries have offered the de-accessioned items to other institutions for use. In regards to out-of-print searching, Mr. Allen does not actively search but keeps a record of catalog items that were requested after being sold. 5% to 10% of his sales are for such items found. Mr. Hough does circulate lists of desiderata in addition to visiting book shops. However, he has found that these lists have proven to be rather an unsuccessful means of locating o.p. material. Discussion then ensued about the various methods used by members of the Group to search for their desiderata. A few sent purchase orders to vendors with the request to search if the item was found to be out-of-print. A couple of libraries had selectors who chose from o.p. book dealer catalogs. (Mr. Allen noted that he mails anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 catalogs and receives 500 to 600 responses. Of those, around 10-15% are from libraries.) University of North Florida is also sending desiderata lists to Strand Book Store in New York City because it has proven a somewhat successful method due to its large o.p. stock. Auburn University advertises in the free, semi-monthly publication LIBRARY BOOKSELLER and has a 10-15% success rate. They also employ the "shotgun" approach of sending search requests to specialist dealers with varying degrees of success. Though no definitive consensus was reached on how to most fruitfully do out-of-print searching, the members of the group received useful insight into how specialists in the used book trade can successfully assist libraries in augmenting their budgets, if not their collections. The various aspects of pricing, marketing, and searching which Messrs. Allen and Hough spoke on elicited an interesting and informative discussion in the group. Submitted: Marilyn Ng, Chair, OP Discussion Group Acquisition Dept. Doe Library University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-6000 mng@library.berkeley.edu Carole R. Bell, Chair Gifts & Exchange Discussion Group Serials & Acquisitions Services Northwestern University Library 1935 Sheridan Rd. Evanston, IL 60208-2300 ****** END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol. 5, No. 15 ****** END OF FILE ******