[Publib] Book buying policy

[Diedre Conkling]

I consider the emails that are not from patrons the same as mailed ads about books.  They are basically ads.  If it is something I think we need I get it.  If not I don't get it.  But we are not tied to having to have a review of the item before purchasing it.

I attended a large book fair in Portland, OR last spring and there were many authors there trying to figure out how to get libraries to purchase their books since they were small press or independent publications and not likely to be reviewed in main stream sources.  I know that email is one of their ways of getting the word out about their books because it is not very expensive.  However, most of them, at that time, were pretty straight forward about it being their book that they were promoting.  They were not trying to pretend they were library patrons outside of their own library area.  However, it is easy to see why some would change to this tactic in their desire to sell books.  I don't like it but I can see how it could evolve to this.

--
Diedre Conkling
     
  Lincoln County Library District
  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
  Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
  http://lcld.library-blogs.net/
  Work:  diedre at beachbooks.org
  Home:  diedrec at charter.net
   

---- Ann Perrigo <annatapl at gmail.com> wrote: 

=============
Well, John, I can't be quite as erudite--or funny--as you, but here's a
connected phenomenon.  Has anyone else had folks emailing your website
suggesting titles to purchase?  Who are not patrons?  And the books (title
or author) cannot be found in Books in Print?  Had another one tonight.  I'm
a little leery--what, is this the author in disguise?  The author's wife?
Sister?

Do you ignore these requests as I typically do?

Ann

On 11/28/06, John <jrichmond at alphapark.org> wrote:
>
> Generally, we will order about 99% of what people request.  Maybe that
> percentage is too high, but maybe not.  If something is *very* pricey ($50
> or $60 and above), the Grand Exalted Director, in consultation with the
> Grand Exalted Not-the-Director-but-People-Who-Sport-the-Title-of-Librarian,
> will make a wise decision.  Or if something is so truly academic that only
> one person might check it out, we go the ILL route.  We even order
> Harlequin-type paperback romances for people, though we've had to limit one
> patron to no more than three to five titles per month; if not, we would own
> ALL the pb romances with Texas cowboys taking care of babies, et al., and
> then some.  We make some judgement calls on TV series on DVD and magazine
> subscriptions--I know: I am straying from the topic of books--but we really
> do try to accommodate patrons' wishes if we've got the money.
>
> Now that OJ is out of the picture (thank you, O non-gender-specific divine
> being who is a power greater than ourselves, as we understand you,
> etc.!)...we received a request for Courtney Love's (whoever she is; I watch
> PBS and "60 Minutes," so I'm ignorant, and don't really want to know who she
> is) alleged memoirs, with Mizz Luuuuvvv rather provocatively, yet faux
> chastely, displayed on the front cover--and this, from a woman who usually
> is researching soil sampling in ancient Mesopotamia or how to grow yams
> suspended in mid-air from a clothesline--the yams, not the patron--and other
> esoteric topics, the likes of which I just made up (but they're not *very*
> made up).  One never knows...and so we have ordered Courtney.  I wonder if
> anyone will comment.
>
> John D. Richmond, Director
> Alpha Park Public Library District
> 3527 So. Airport Road
> Bartonville, IL 61607-1799
> Ph: (309) 697-3822, x. 12
> Fax: (309) 697-9681
> E-mail: jrichmond at alphapark.org
>
>


-- 
Ann Perrigo, Director
Allegan (MI) Public Library
annatapl at gmail.com