Commentaries on:

Evans, G. Edward and Zarnosky, Margaret R. Developing library and information center collections. 4th ed., Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2000.  Chap. 12 Distributors and vendors
 

SPECIALIZED LIBRARY SUPPLIERS
(Vendors / Jobbers)

Purchase large quantities at large discounts
(books sell relatively slowly / seasonally;
paper and printing has to be paid soon after production)
Offer information to libraries
Maintain warehouses
Offer discounts
special bindings
approval plans
standing orders
even library furniture / automation
Technical Processing / MARC records
work with wide variety of publishers
 

ONE / SEVERAL SUPPLIERS
Monographs:
large libraries can work with several suppliers
(better choice)
Small / Medium libraries:
can contract one supplier:
Request for Proposal:
(specify free delivery)
(serials: one agent normal)
 

EVALUATING SUPPLIERS
Basic criteria:
Speed / Discount / Competence

Discounts
(vendor should pay shipping costs; include this in RFP)
Up to 30 - 40% public / school common titles,
purchased in quantity, hard cover
(lower discount on library bindings)
Academic books: around 15%
Preparation charged at cost
(also note Payment terms)

Competence / Accuracy
Quality of service / materials / library binding
Reputation
Volumes ordered / volumes received
(fill rate / skimming)
Competence / speed in handling reports / claims

OP / OS / TOS / OSI
What do these abbreviations mean?

(Out of print / Out of stock /
Temporarily out of stock / Out of stock indefinitely)

Information / slips sent to customer:
bibliographic accuracy / prices honored
Cancellations for recently published materials
Material / invoices arrive simultaneously
Area of concentration of supplier / library or
Range of publishers handled
Information on invoice

Approval plans
Changes in profile: speed of incorporation
Permitted return rate: 5%; 10%

Library / supplier:
Often personal relationship:
"The nicest people in the book business"
Lunches / ethics
 

INGRAM
1934 -, wholesale only:
major library supplier: headquarters Tennessee;
http://www.ingramlibrary.com/
Seven US locations; 550,000 titles
supplies Amazon.com
iPAGE: Database (password required)
https://ipage.ingrambook.com/
Electronic ordering information:
http://www.ingramlibrary.com/company_info/ordering.asp?library=order
discounts:
http://www.ingramlibrary.com/company_info/discounts.asp?library=discount
Part of:
http://www.ingrambookgroup.com/

BAKER & TAYLOR
major supplier - Georgia
http://www.btol.com/library.cfm
Books, a/v, supplies
450,000 items on hand
2.4 million item database
Note Library system electronic interfaces
Note Opening day collections
(via Customized Library services)
Collection connection:
78,000 items for school media specialists
http://www.btcollectionconnection.com/
Will also lease collections of popular adult reading

Baker and Taylor: 1999 merged with YBP
(academic library supplier)
(formerly Yankee Book Peddler
but they now use acronym only)
http://www.ybp.com/

BLACKWELL
(Oxford , England; Oregon)
concentrates on academic libraries:
NTO: New Titles Online
http://www.blackwell.com/

BRODART
http://www.brodart.com/index.htm
general library supplier:
HQ Williamsport, Pennsylvania
furniture, library supplies, automation
and books: processing,
opening day collections;
McNaughton Plan: lease collections of high-demand items
http://www.brodart.com/books/mcn/adltbook.htm
Title Information Preview Service:
SDI of forthcoming titles:
http://www.brodart.com/books/colldev/tips.htm
reinforced bindings

EMERY-PRATT
Michigan; 1.8 million titles:
http://www.emery-pratt.com/

CHILDREN'S YOUNG ADULT emphasis
Book Wholesalers Inc.:
http://www.bwibooks.com/
Attractive, appropriately-designed site

Reinforced paperbacks:
Demco Media / Turtleback Books:
http://www.demcomedia.com/

http://www.demcomedia.com/tback/tback.html
 

OTHER SOURCES

DIRECT FROM PUBLISHER
Not organized for direct sales
Orders pulverized
Little chance of discounts
publishers binding only

LOCAL BOOKSTORE
can use for local material,
specific materials known to be in stock
but: Low discounts
not geared to working with libraries /
specialized materials

INTERNET BOOKSELLERS
not geared to library sales /
library discounts
Concentrate on major titles;
used to handling small quantities, single copies
charging heavily for shipping / handling
 

FOREIGN BOOKS
Specialist suppliers
normally in foreign countries
Area bibliographer prepares careful
Blanket order profile
Checks arrivals for quality, price
("Approval" plan:
but few international returns:
inappropriate shipments: change supplier)
Payments in dollars
Plans need constant attention

Ethnic internet bookstore:
http://www.zipidee.com/

SECONDHAND BOOKSELLERS
Formerly lists (often elaborate)
now largely transferred to Internet:
http://www.alibris.com
Alibris also offers a glossary of book terms
http://www.alibris.com/contentnew/resources/glossary/glossary.html

Advanced Book Exchange:
http://www.abebooks.com/

http://www.bookfinder.com