A beginner's guide to working with vendors

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the varieties of relationships with vendors, issues with communication, product knowledge, licensing and negoti- ating, ongoing service responsibilities by both librarian and vendor, and ethics. Many of the principles included here may be applied to a variety of people from whom libraries purchase resources,and may refer to serials subscription agents, database providers,consortium partners who negotiate with resource providers and, even at times, publishers’ agents.The evaluation of vendors is not treated in this guide.While several of the examples and issues relate specifically to electronic resources,the principles and many of the topics treated are relevant to library materials in any format purchased through an agent.