ACQNET: Summary of Responses to Books in Print Query

Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 13:22:07 -1000 (HST)
From: Thelma Diercks (Univ. Hawaii)<thelma_at_hawaii.edu>
Subject: SUMMARY of Responses to Books in Print Query

[ed. note: many thanks to Thelma for summarizing the responses]

Mahalo (thanks) to everyone who responded.  As requested, here is a
summary of the 16 responses received.  Not all questions were answered by
every respondee.  So, what do you think?  Aloha, Thelma


1) Do you have BIP in any form (online, print, CD-Rom)?  In what
form(s) do you have it?
	- Have it as part of OCLC's FirstSearch
	- Campus-wide Web access to Global BIP
	- Have had print, CD-ROM, and online.  Now, online only.
	  Have used OCLC FirstSeach; a Gale product and a Bowker product
	- Have BIP online
	- None. Had paper, switched to BIP.com and dropped it
	- Online
	- Available for use (respondee does not say what form), but
	  have found it unreliable
	- None. Had print and online
	- Online to all campuses in system; 2 print subscriptions in
	  respondee's library; have not seen CD-ROM; No longer uses
	  BIP for any reason
	- None
	- Had print and online; dropped print and had online only;
	  dropped online and rely on amazon.com
	- Use an online form available thru NCLive, a North Carolina
	  database
	- No form of BIP (cannot justify cost)
	- Yes. Online from Bowker; previously online from FirstSeach
	- Online only, currently
	- Web-based from EBSCO, but recently cancelled by state; now
          looking into other options; still get basic print volumes
	  for reference


2) How much do you rely on a vendor's database or an internet source
(amazon.com) as a substitute for BIP?
	- Rely on vendor's database or internet source 99% of the time
	- Rely a little on amazon.com, but hoping for YPB's Gobi2;
	  retain paper for for older faculty/users
	- Uses amazon.com, B&N.com, B&T.  Sometimes easier
          to go to publisher's website
	- Rely on YBP's Gobi; uses BIP when not on Gobi
	- Amazon.com and Powells pretty good; uses publisher's web sites
	  or makes phone calls
	- Staff prefers B&N or amazon.com
	- Vendor database, amazon.com, B&N.com are more convenient
	- Use Title Source II from B&T, amazon.com and vendor database
	  for AV
	- Vendor db cluttered with orders from system libraries; also
	  inaccurate info in vendor database; Does rely heavily on
	  amazon.com which is superior to BIP; Uses B&N.com; Uses
          www.lights.com/publishers/index.html to search for publisher's
	  website
	- 100% on amazon. com
	- Use amazon.com, B&T, and other colleges' catalogs
	- Rely almost exclusively on vendor's databases and internet
	  sources
	- Very little (personally)
	- BIP not used in Acquisitions; rely on other sources
	- Use YBP Gobi; have been warned by vendors about using
	  sources like amazon.com; some advanced searches not available
	  at publisher/bookstore sites; are vendor sites made available
          to patrons?

3) Have faculty, staff and the public asked for BIP?  What reaction to
having or not having BIP had on users?
	- Not aware of anyone asking.  Most people use Worldcat
	- Frequency of requests for BIP decreasing
	- Staff uses for children's programs or searching.  MLS program
	  has not asked for paper edition
	- Available online for campus; faculty copy pages and send to
	  library order dept.
	- Don't think anyone has noticed
	- No one has asked; Print not missed
	- Have had only one request for BIP in several years; patron
	  was "perfectly happy" when told about amazon.com
	- Don't know public demand for BIP
	- No reaction from faculty; they've been informed and are fine
	- BIP used by faculty/staff who find it very useful
	- Librarians show user other ways to locate information
	- N/A
	- When BIP was cancelled, faculty noticed immediately; had
	  to reinstate BIP
	- Complaints that print BIP not available at all sites;
          indications that users prefer the print; most are happy
          with online access

4) In your opinion, is it possible to do without BIP completely in
today's internet world?
	- Definitely
	- Possible; BIP "hook to holdings" and TOC good features
	- BIP is still a 1st option.  Doubts the authority of reviewers
	  who write for internet sources.  BIP online available from
	  at least 4 sources.  Likes Bowker.
	- No
	- Yes
	- Staff says yes, but respondee is unsure
	- Absolutely
	- YES, it is possible - and even desirable!
	- Have done without BIP completely for 3 years; not missed
	- Probably could do without BIP, but would you really want to
	  have to search numerous other places
	- Have been forced to do without because online version
          impossible to justify cost
	- Maybe.  Really like BIP's convenience; use it often; does
	  not trust amazon.com; faculty/students love amazon.com
	- Yes, but it has features faculty want
	- BIP has a sense of the library market; able to download
          records into ILS.  Looking for product which includes reviews


Thelma Diercks
Head, Acquisitions Department
Acting Head, Collection Services Division
University of Hawaii Library

email: thelma_at_hawaii.edu
phone: (808) 956-2611
fax:   (808) 956-8596