[Publib] outsourcing printing

[James Casey]

We have outsourced our public photocopying totally.  We pay for nothing and receive nothing in the way of revenue.  I can share with you a copy of our agreement if you and Michael would like.  This has worked out well for the past 5 years.

As to the public printing from computer, we are looking into various possibilities.  However, one of the difficulties can involve ownership of the printers.  We were close to signing with a company that would service and supply our printers if we would pay them a stipend each month.   Part of that stipend would be (theoretically) where we would lease-purchase the printers themselves.  Although we would replace all of our current machines with their brand new printers, we would be purchasing them on time along with the service, supplies, etc..  It sounded too good to be true.  We were set to cut our supply budget, save staff time and avoid having to buy umpteen printers.  (We have dozens of computer printers in our building that service patron computers.)  ---- It WAS too good to be true and we avoided getting zapped.  The company we were negotiating with didn't actually own the printers.  They were owned by some other outfit that wasn't even named in the agreement.  If the company with whom we were negotiating went belly up, the ownership of all of our printers would pass to this unnamed company.  We could have to pay them some outrageous price to own the printers upon which we depend and we would not have any service or supplies coming in.

As long as the public gets the copies they want at a reasonable cost, there is no problem.  However, it can be dangerous to outsource totally to a company that might not continue in business for one reason or another.  Make sure that you protect your equity in the equipment in the event that the contract cannot be carried out.

James B. Casey -- My own views.
Director of Oak Lawn Public Library
ALA Council Member

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Renee Ponzio
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 11:16 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] outsourcing printing

Does any library totally outsource public printing, by that I mean do you use a vendor that takes care of paper, ink, machines etc. that would then charge the public to print either with a card they could purchase or even with coin etc. at the time of printing? If so what vendor do you use? what has been the impact on staff and customers? do you like it or not? and why. What financial burden do you carry with doing this or is there revenue? Thank you in advance for your time and attention.

Renee J. Ponzio
Reference Services Manager
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library
400 Eau Claire Street
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-839-1683
reneep at eauclaire.lib.wi.us
www.eauclaire.lib.wi.us

____________
Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog it's too dark to read -- Groucho Marx




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