Library book vendors are facing new realities in the 21st century. Changes in continuations, firm order placement, value-added services, approval plans, retrospective collection development, and database creation and maintenance are being effected in an effort to keep current customers and attract new ones. Those changes and the subsequent shift…

Discusses the Hawaii State Public Library system decision to outsource library book selection to a vendor. Highlights include problems with the current contract, including lack of input from local librarians; and possible benefits of outsourcing, including the chance of having an outsourced baseline collection with discretionary funds for local…

Facing a major budget crunch, the Hawaii State Public Library System awarded a five and one half-year, $11.2 million contract to a vendor (Baker & Taylor) for collection development. Hawaii librarians argue that outsourcing sacrifices local expertise and a central part of their professional identity. Discusses the controversy from opposing…

Explores issues related to the selection and purchase of digital content in academic libraries, including commercially-produced databases, electronic journals, and books and other electronic resources that are purchased from vendors; and in-house digitization projects. Considers the degree to which standard collection management principles apply.…

Discussion of Internet resources in library collections focuses on factors to consider in selecting Internet resources and cataloging them. Highlights include price; cancellation of comparable resources in other formats; appropriateness of an electronic resource; stability of vendors; duplication; licensing; and cataloging treatment. (LRW)

Discusses consortium-based licensing as a means of meeting libraries' information resources needs. Topics include information needs, the need for more affordable information, requirements for libraries and for vendors, competition across disciplines, saving money, pricing and market practices, experiences at OhioLINK, and future possibilities.…

Compares 48 features of four versions of the ERIC database, two commercial (SilverPlatter, FirstSearch) and two free (AskERIC.org, SeachERIC.org), to determine whether features of the commercial versions were worth the cost to academic libraries. Reports results of a survey that investigated user preferences, and concludes that value added…

Examines the history of abridged audio publishing 10 years after the formation of the Audio Publishers Association. Topics include abridged versus unabridged versions for bookstores and libraries; vendors and publishers; future possibilities for CDs and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc); and audio leasing for libraries. (LRW)

Differing perspectives of reference collection development librarians and publishers are presented for the following topics: fairness of pricing trends; best/worst ways to communicate about new reference titles; deciding which sources should be published; impact of electronic materials on reference services; deciding on/selecting formats; and…

Discusses how to develop library collections for Spanish-speaking users based on a presentation at the 1994 ALA (American Library Association) annual convention in Miami Beach (Florida). Highlights include selection and acquisition tools, reviewing media, vendors, keeping collections current, distributors and booksellers, administrative and…

Reviews factors that should affect the decision to automate a school media center and offers suggestions for the automation process. Topics discussed include getting the library collection ready for automation, deciding what automated functions are needed, evaluating software vendors, selecting software, and budgeting. (CLB)

Describes a study conducted at Eastern Illinois University's library that examined nine full-text databases to determine the content and subject coverage of each database. Discusses implications for collection development, including policies for the evaluation of electronic resources; and the need for dialog between librarians and vendors. (LRW)

To prevent further erosion of their monographs budget and to allow for a modest number of new serial subscriptions to support changing curricular and research needs, librarians at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) decided to cut serial subscriptions and to subsidize article delivery from a commercial document delivery vendor. Discusses the…

Discusses issues related to managing electronic resources in academic libraries from a vendor's perspective. Topics include collection development policies; format and content; decisions to buy, borrow, or link to online resources; ethics and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition); service, cost, and value; vendors'…

Discusses the growing trend in aggregated article databases and includes individual views from a panel discussion. Highlights include publisher's embargoes of current content; views of academic libraries and of vendors; full-text issues; the Tasini v. New York Times Supreme Court case; consortial buying; and future possibilities. (LRW)