ACQNET: ISBNs in electronic orders

Date: Thu, 07 Nov 2002 17:45:54 -0500
From: Ann-Marie Breaux (Yankee Book Peddler) <ABreaux_at_YBP.com>
Subject: ISBNs in electronic orders

Hi everyone,

Now that it's become the norm for most customers to submit electronic
orders rather than paper orders to their firm order vendors, we're
bumping
against a point of discussion with a number of our customers. I'd like
to
solicit the collective wisdom of ACQNET in looking at the problem.

Most integrated library systems now have the ability to output
electronic
orders in one of 3 widely-recognized standards: BISAC, X12, or EDIFACT.
The beauty of electronic ordering is that it allows us book vendors to
suck the
orders into our systems automatically and speed up delivery of materials
to
customers.

Because the orders are processed in an automated way (for the most
part),
the desired ISBN must be supplied in the order, in the proper field for
our
systems to recognize it as an ISBN.

The problem arises when the bibliographic record used as the base for
the
order contains multiple ISBNs (cloth and paper, or set plus individual
volumes, etc.). That happens frequently when downloading a bib record
from
OCLC, LC, or other resource files. In almost every system we work with,
the
electronic order transmits the *first* ISBN listed on the bibliographic
record. If a library wishes to order the paperback, or volume 2, then
acquisitions staff must resequence the ISBNs on the bibliographic record
so
that the desired ISBN is the first 020.

That tends to have unintended consequences, like having to allow
acquisitions staff to edit cataloging records. Also, it's a workaround
that
causes hiccups in workflows, and additional analysis of outgoing orders
by
acquisitions staff.

In the last couple of days, I've had conversations with 3 different
customers using 3 different integrated library systems who are not happy

with having to resequence ISBNs. There's not really much that I can do
about it from the book vendor end of things. It's a feature of their
ILS's
electronic order programming. And so I turn to you out of my frustrated
desire to help those customers.

My questions are these. Are you aware of this issue? How onerous do you
find resequencing the ISBNs to get the desired one into the electronic
order? Is
this a big enough issue that perhaps enhancement requests could be
submitted (by you, the customers) to the major ILS vendors for which
this is an
issue?

Thank you for your help,
A-M

Ann-Marie Breaux
Southeastern Regional Manager, Collection Management
& Development Group / System Vendor Liaison
YBP Library Services, a Baker & Taylor Company

phone/fax: (678) 445-5720
vmail: (800) 258-3774 x3504
e-mail: abreaux_at_ybp.com

GA address: 131 Dockside Downs Drive, Woodstock, GA  30189
NH address: 999 Maple Street, Contoocook, NH  03229