[LIBRARYDIR] Question about Sources for Books (i.e. Reliance on Amazon)

[Julie Nurse]

Hi Greg,

We used Ingram for many years and switched over to GOBI three years ago. But, given our reduced book budget, Amazon is the most affordable and our business office prefers we use Amazon. I prefer to use a different vendor than Amazon for a variety of reasons and will spare all of you an afternoon Amazon rant.

Curious as to what other libraries are doing and whether they have a choice in vendors.

Thanks,
Julie

Julie Nurse
Library Director
Centralia College
600 Centralia College Blvd.
Centralia, WA  98531
(360)623-8567
julie.nurse at centralia.edu<mailto:julie.nurse at centralia.edu>
[cc new tree]

From: LIBRARYDIR <librarydir-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> On Behalf Of Bem, Greg via LIBRARYDIR
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 12:49 PM
To: WACTC Library Directors <librarydir at lists.ctc.edu>
Cc: Bem, Greg <Greg.Bem at lwtech.edu>
Subject: [LIBRARYDIR] Question about Sources for Books (i.e. Reliance on Amazon)

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of Centralia College. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Hello all,

We're currently reviewing our reliance on Amazon as a source for buying books and movies.

We currently use Amazon for 100% of our physical books and movies, and have done this for years.

The open PO approach has made the workflow very easy. The Prime Membership ($120/year + tax) has allowed 2 day shipping on most things we're buying. (We don't use the Prime membership for any other reason than free shipping.)

In 2012, before my time at the college, a "Market Basket" analysis was done, required by the purchasing manager at LWTech, to determine the lowest-cost vendor for providing books and movies. Amazon won over the other two companies analyzed (Barnes and Noble, and Powell's in Portland, both which do online sales). I am unclear what the current standing is on vendor selection process and the "lowest cost" vendor that the Market Basket analysis helped determine. In other words, I'm not sure what we're legally bound to in terms of vendor selection: if we can choose between sources for books and movies, do we have to go with Amazon because they're the cheapest?

I'm curious if you're all also inclined to use Amazon because of the costs and shipping, or other reasons entirely. Or do you use other vendors? Or a combination? I'd love to hear your stories, and your opinions on the dominant force (for some of us) that is Amazon.

Can put this in a Google Form if that would be helpful.

Thanks,

Greg

Greg Bem, MLIS
Professor and Library Coordinator
Library Learning Commons
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Pronouns: he/him/his

Contact Info
greg.bem at lwtech.edu<mailto:greg.bem at lwtech.edu%0d>
425-739-8100 xt.8898
http://www.lwtech.edu/campus-life/library

2019-2020 Vice President of Local 3533, LWTech's Faculty Union!

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/librarydir_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20200226/042da020/attachment-0002.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 92 bytes
Desc: image002.gif
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/librarydir_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20200226/042da020/attachment-0002.gif>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 3390 bytes
Desc: image003.jpg
URL: <http://lists.ctc.edu/pipermail/librarydir_lists.ctc.edu/attachments/20200226/042da020/attachment-0002.jpg>