ACQUISITION OF ACQUISITION OF LIBRARY MATERIALSLIBRARY MATERIALS

ACQUISITIONSACQUISITIONS

the means by which additions are made to the the means by which additions are made to the library (Wulfekoetter, 1961)library (Wulfekoetter, 1961)

The process of securing materials for the library The process of securing materials for the library collection, whether by purchase, as gifts, or collection, whether by purchase, as gifts, or through exchange programs (Evans, 2000).through exchange programs (Evans, 2000).

Primarily concerned with the ordering, claiming Primarily concerned with the ordering, claiming and receipt of materials for the library and receipt of materials for the library (Gorman, 1998).(Gorman, 1998).

tasks include obtaining materials by purchase, tasks include obtaining materials by purchase, gift or exchange; paying for or acknowledging gift or exchange; paying for or acknowledging receipt; and maintaining appropriate records receipt; and maintaining appropriate records

The place of The place of Acquisitions in the Acquisitions in the Library StructureLibrary Structure essentially a service unit for the public essentially a service unit for the public

services and must treat public services services and must treat public services departments and staff as customers to departments and staff as customers to be satisfiedbe satisfied

works with the circulation department in works with the circulation department in the preservation of the collection through the preservation of the collection through binding and rebinding and replacing lost, binding and rebinding and replacing lost, or damaged, and worn-out materialsor damaged, and worn-out materials

must work closely with the cataloging must work closely with the cataloging department in materials processing in department in materials processing in the quickest and most economical way the quickest and most economical way possiblepossible

The Acquisitions The Acquisitions LibrarianLibrarian skills neededskills needed: knowledge of the : knowledge of the

book and other media; knowledge book and other media; knowledge of the publishing trade; familiar of the publishing trade; familiar with the basic cataloging with the basic cataloging practices and policies; managerial practices and policies; managerial skills and business competenceskills and business competence

Four goals of the Four goals of the acquisitions acquisitions departmentdepartment To acquire material as quickly as To acquire material as quickly as

possiblepossible To maintain a high level of accuracy in To maintain a high level of accuracy in

all work proceduresall work procedures To keep work processes simple, to To keep work processes simple, to

achieve the lowest possible unit costachieve the lowest possible unit cost To develop close, friendly working To develop close, friendly working

relationships with other library units relationships with other library units and with vendorsand with vendors

Detailed Functions of Detailed Functions of the Acquisitions the Acquisitions DepartmentDepartment Provide and maintain an up to date selection and order Provide and maintain an up to date selection and order

tools appropriate to the needs of the library to include tools appropriate to the needs of the library to include publishers’ catalogs, trade bibliographies, etc. etc.publishers’ catalogs, trade bibliographies, etc. etc.

maintain files of materials on order/in process in such a maintain files of materials on order/in process in such a manner that will permit all staff members to use them manner that will permit all staff members to use them with easewith ease

Perform pre-order bibliographic searching to avoid Perform pre-order bibliographic searching to avoid duplication, obtain sufficient information to permit order duplication, obtain sufficient information to permit order to be placed, and to establish the main entry that to be placed, and to establish the main entry that probably will be used when the material is cataloguedprobably will be used when the material is catalogued

select dealers or other sources for the purchase of select dealers or other sources for the purchase of materials, preparing and mailing orders, making materials, preparing and mailing orders, making provisions for the provision for the preparation of provisions for the provision for the preparation of cataloging copycataloging copy

receiving, unpacking, sorting and checking in booksreceiving, unpacking, sorting and checking in books

Detailed Functions of the Detailed Functions of the Acquisitions DepartmentAcquisitions Department

approving invoices for payment; maintaining payment approving invoices for payment; maintaining payment recordsrecords

mechanical preparation of books such as entering marks mechanical preparation of books such as entering marks of identification and pasting book pockets/bar code labels, of identification and pasting book pockets/bar code labels, date due slipsdate due slips

forwarding materials for catalogingforwarding materials for cataloging entering subscription orders, receiving and recording entering subscription orders, receiving and recording

periodical periodical Making follow-ups and claims for unfilled ordersMaking follow-ups and claims for unfilled orders Informing requestors of the availability of materials or Informing requestors of the availability of materials or

status of orders; preparation of New Acquisitions Liststatus of orders; preparation of New Acquisitions List Searching for out-of-print materialsSearching for out-of-print materials Materials selectionMaterials selection soliciting gifts and establishing exchange agreements; soliciting gifts and establishing exchange agreements;

maintaining appropriate records; receiving materials; maintaining appropriate records; receiving materials; sending exchange shipments to exchange partnerssending exchange shipments to exchange partners

Acquisitions ProcessAcquisitions Process

Request processingRequest processing Preorder work/bibliographic Preorder work/bibliographic

verificationverification OrderingOrdering

Request processingRequest processing

Receiving requests for materialsReceiving requests for materials Organizing incoming requestsOrganizing incoming requests Checking for request details Checking for request details

accuracyaccuracy

Preorder work / Preorder work / Bibliographic Bibliographic verificationverification

Establishing the existence if an item, Establishing the existence if an item, which includes determining the exact which includes determining the exact name of the author, title, publisher, name of the author, title, publisher, date of publication, price, and where it date of publication, price, and where it may be acquired.may be acquired.

Determining whether the library wants Determining whether the library wants of needs a copy (i.e. replacement for of needs a copy (i.e. replacement for lost or damaged item, additional copy lost or damaged item, additional copy or duplicate copy)or duplicate copy)

Some problems in Some problems in Bibliographic Bibliographic SearchingSearching Incomplete and/or incorrect Incomplete and/or incorrect

informationinformation Variations in spelling of author’s Variations in spelling of author’s

namename Choice of main entryChoice of main entry Data supplied in the requestData supplied in the request

OrderingOrdering

Firm OrderFirm Order Standing orderStanding order Approval planApproval plan Blanket orderBlanket order

Ordering workflowOrdering workflow Before placing an order, the staff must decide on: Before placing an order, the staff must decide on:

which acquisition method to use, what vendor to use which acquisition method to use, what vendor to use and where to get the money and where to get the money

Order placement and receiving : - vendor selectionOrder placement and receiving : - vendor selection- Preparation of Purchase Order (PO) - Preparation of Purchase Order (PO) - assigning order numbers for control and tracking - assigning order numbers for control and tracking - submission of orders through mail, fax or e-mail - submission of orders through mail, fax or e-mail - order receipt and verification - order receipt and verification - claims and follow-ups - claims and follow-ups - receipt of ordered items- receipt of ordered items- checking deliveries against Purchase Order and - checking deliveries against Purchase Order and packing slip/listpacking slip/list- checking physical condition of delivered materials- checking physical condition of delivered materials- property marking by stamping or embossing- property marking by stamping or embossing- approving invoices for payment- approving invoices for payment

Some common problems in Some common problems in the receipt of materials the receipt of materials orderedordered wrong entries/data in the invoicewrong entries/data in the invoice wrong edition sentwrong edition sent items ordered but not receiveditems ordered but not received Items not ordered but shippedItems not ordered but shipped Too may or not enough copiesToo may or not enough copies Imperfect copies received Imperfect copies received

Forms, records and Forms, records and filesfiles Outstanding Order FileOutstanding Order File Standing Order FileStanding Order File Desiderata or Want fileDesiderata or Want file Claims FileClaims File Requisitions, Vouchers FileRequisitions, Vouchers File Invoices fileInvoices file Letter orders/Purchase OrdersLetter orders/Purchase Orders Serials Check-in FileSerials Check-in File Accession RecordAccession Record Dealers’ Payment CardDealers’ Payment Card Financial ReportsFinancial Reports Short ReportsShort Reports Statement of AccountStatement of Account Credit MemosCredit Memos Gifts/Exchanges Partners FileGifts/Exchanges Partners File Delivery Receipts for On Approval titles Delivery Receipts for On Approval titles

Methods of AcquisitionMethods of Acquisition

Purchase and subscriptionPurchase and subscription Gifts and exchangesGifts and exchanges DepositsDeposits

Jobbers and vendorsJobbers and vendors

JobberJobber – a wholesaler who stocks – a wholesaler who stocks many copies of various kinds of many copies of various kinds of books which he supplies to books which he supplies to certain retail outlets and to certain retail outlets and to libraries (Wulfekoetter, 1961)libraries (Wulfekoetter, 1961)

can give customers both the short can give customers both the short discounts and the trade discountsdiscounts and the trade discounts

Concerns when making Concerns when making decisions on which vendor to decisions on which vendor to choosechoose service (reliable agent, toll-free numbers, service (reliable agent, toll-free numbers,

websites, etc.)websites, etc.) quality of service – ask for references and quality of service – ask for references and

check ability to handle conflicts and problemscheck ability to handle conflicts and problems speed fulfillment and accuracyspeed fulfillment and accuracy discounts and pricingdiscounts and pricing company’s financial viabilitycompany’s financial viability ability to work with the library’s automation ability to work with the library’s automation

systemsystem special services availablespecial services available special service offeredspecial service offered

Cooperative collection Cooperative collection development and resource development and resource

sharingsharing A mechanism which provides for two or more A mechanism which provides for two or more

libraries enter an agreement that each one libraries enter an agreement that each one will have certain areas of “primary collecting will have certain areas of “primary collecting responsibility” and the exchange of such responsibility” and the exchange of such materials with one another with no charges materials with one another with no charges

Coordinated acquisitions whereby two or Coordinated acquisitions whereby two or more libraries agree to buy certain materials, more libraries agree to buy certain materials, and/or share the associated costs and one or and/or share the associated costs and one or more members houses the materialmore members houses the material

Joint acquisitions whereby the members Joint acquisitions whereby the members place a joint order for a product or service place a joint order for a product or service and each member receives the product and each member receives the product serviceservice

Benefits of Benefits of Cooperative collection Cooperative collection developmentdevelopment Increased potential for improving accessIncreased potential for improving access Greater possibility of stretching limited Greater possibility of stretching limited

resourcesresources Sharing that can result to greater staff Sharing that can result to greater staff

specialization with one person being able to specialization with one person being able to concentrate on one or two activities rather concentrate on one or two activities rather than five or six with specialization resulting to than five or six with specialization resulting to better performancebetter performance

Promoting and advertising the cooperative’s Promoting and advertising the cooperative’s presence in the library program may reduce presence in the library program may reduce the number if places a client will need to go for the number if places a client will need to go for serviceservice

Though not thoroughly obvious, cooperative Though not thoroughly obvious, cooperative efforts create improvements in the working efforts create improvements in the working relationships among cooperative librariesrelationships among cooperative libraries