Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2017 10:47:49 -0400
To: acqnet_at_lists.ala.org
I suggest that the assessment of vendors is not likely to have overlap with other library areas, but I think it would be good to mention the range of overlap for assessment depending on library size and organization. In assessing vendors, I think about the following (basically the things in an RFP for vendor selection): - How is the ease of ordering with the vendor (using their database?)? - Is turnaround time acceptable? Is the fulfillment rate acceptable? - Does the shelf-ready service have a low error-rate? - Are shipments arriving in sound boxes without damage? - Are shipping lists and invoices accurate? - How is the customer service? - Does the vendor provide adequate reports (expenditure, open order, other analytics)? - Are the discounts/service charges where they should be? I guess in some places Collection Management or Development would be responsible for the discount/service charge part, but the rest belongs to Acquisitions in my mind. In doing research for a literature review, I would try the terms "vendor evaluation" and "vendor performance evaluation" rather than assessment, which is newer terminology. Also here are two books to look at for a literature review and getting started: _The Complete Guide to Acquisitions Management_ by Frances C. Wilkinson and Linda K. Lewis (2003) ISBN 1563088924 and _Understanding the Business of Library Acquisitions_ edited by Karen A. Schmidt (1998 2nd ed) ISBN 0838907415. Lauren -- Lauren Corbett Director of Resource Services, Z. Smith Reynolds Library Wake Forest University 336-758-6136 ISNI: 0000 0003 5170 369X On Fri, Jul 7, 2017 at 4:40 PM, Cherie B Watson <cwatson_at_lib.siu.edu> wrote: > Stacey, > > > > We've done updates of workflow documentation and we've done something I > will call a "workflow study" using flow chart software and having everyone > map their workflows for certain tasks. It allowed us to see, for example, > that someone was doing something in the ACQ check-in process that was > really a cataloging function that the cataloging coordinator would rather > she not do. > > > > I was also able to see the differences in the way our two buyers approach > the purchase of monographs. I didn't ask either of them to change their > workflows because both processes are valid, but it did allow the two buyers > to compare notes and identify some issues they had. > > Before a site visit with ACRL consultants (who were great, btw), we looked > at the time (number of days) it took a book to be checked in and sent to > the shelf (but that included our cataloging unit). One of the > recommendations from the consultants was to go in the direction of > shelf-ready materials with our main vendor to bring the number of “touches > on the book” down and I have wanted to look at that for a while, but it is > a very threatening prospect because it would require outsourcing of some > cataloging, which opens up a whole can of worms. > > > > I have also done a scan of ACQ unit documentation on other campuses where > I can access them through Libguides and other publicly available library > sites. > > > > Hope this is helpful. You can contact me directly if you like with any > questions about specifics. > > > > > > CHERIE WATSON > > Acquisitions Librarian > > > > LIBRARY AFFAIRS > > MORRIS LIBRARY – MAIL CODE 6632 > > SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY > > 605 AGRICULTURE DRIVE > > CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS 62901 > > > > cwatson_at_lib.siu.edu > > P: 618/453-4305 <(618)%20453-4305> > > F: 618/453-3452 <(618)%20453-3452> > > > > LIB.SIU.EDU > > > > [image: SIU_email_2line] > > > > > > > > > > > > *From:* acqnet-request_at_lists.ala.org [mailto:acqnet-request_at_lists.ala.org] > *On Behalf Of *Stacey Marien > *Sent:* Friday, July 07, 2017 3:14 PM > *To:* acqnet_at_lists.ala.org > *Subject:* [ALCTS-acqnet] Follow up to Assessment in Acq question > > > > Hello All > > > > thanks to those of you who have responded. So far, the assessment > examples I've gotten have been to assess the usage of resources. > > > > Here is the backstory - I am writing a chapter on assessment in Acq. The > book is going to have another chapter on Assessment in Electronic Resources > So I am trying to define what Assessment in Acquisitions actually means. > I know some Acq departments do soup to nuts and others, like mine, are only > responsible for the purchase of print and some electronic (not databases). > > > > So what should be assessed? Workflows? Staff output? Is it the > responsibility of the Acq department to assess the programs it administers, > like an approval plan? Or is that the job of the collection development > people? I'm having a hard time trying to define what would be assessed in > an Acquisitions department. > > > > A few years ago, I created a libguide to organize all our workflows in my > unit. In the course of doing that, all the workflows were reviewed. I > consider that an assessment. We have a homegrown product that we use to > keep track of media and reserves ordering - we tweaked it and while doing > that, got everyone in the same room who had anything to do with media and > reserves and went over the path of an item - so everyone in every unit, > understood what we were all doing. I consider that an assessment. > > > > So I am looking to see what others think assessment in an acquisitions > department might entail > > > > Stacey > > > > Stacey Marien > Acquisitions Librarian > American University Library > > 4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW > > Washington, DC 20016 > smarien_at_american.edu > 202-885-3842 > orcid.org/0000-0003-2608-4559 > <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__orcid.org_0000-2D0003-2D2608-2D4559&d=DwMFaQ&c=jrLYy3FV6j9HoN3FfGW-SLJoSRpiMyAzztY4B1tagEk&r=wZSif1jE5x0To_DWF5L639aGGV4CNem_pec1d8gO2n8&m=sViNYIYYIUiANA9TqEAxb2ObEj--sKqyTaK1AScrcxY&s=e3__u_NcWK2CG2iKRajXiomP3FZlECqrrA7_Z3keSdA&e=> >
