ACQNET v8n001 (January 7, 1998) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/serials/acqnet/acqnet-v8n001.txt ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 8, No. 1, January 7, 1998 ======================================== FROM: P.Holtman, N. Slight-Gibney, M. McLaren, J. Mumm, J. Williamson, M. Benson, J. Fitzpatrick SUBJECT: RE: Credit cards in acquisitions (7 responses) (200 lines) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 07:56:01 -0500 From: Prue Holtman (College of Wooster) Subject: RE: Credit cards in acquisitions In reference to Arline Haenisch's request for input on the use of an institutional credit card for acquisitions, I can provide a little experience. The College of Wooster allows me to use a Master Card for acquisitions purchases. The college applied for the card and it was issued in my name, by requirement of the card company, with a spending limit of $200.00, so clearly is for occasional use. It is very handy for rush orders for which the publisher requires prepayment. I have not yet used it for internet purchases. Books purchased with the card usually come with a receipt or packing slip that I send along with the credit card statement to our Treasurer's Office for payment. (2)------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 07:46:06 -0800 From: Nancy Slight-Gibney (Univ. of OR) Subject: Re: Credit cards in Acquisitions Here at the University of Oregon we have been using a credit card for about a year. We have found it somewhat useful for rush phone orders; we have not yet used it over the net but undoubtedly we will before too long. It has helped with the currency conversion problem with some foreign purchases. It has been especially useful in out-of-print purchases. I can sign it out to a subject specialist attending a book fair or combing through out-of-print bookstores. The down side? Some of the small dealers (domestic and foreign) are not set up to handle credit card purchases. One foreign dealer who complained about the bank charges to convert our checks discovered it was going to be just as expensive to set up a credit card account. We had hoped to solve the problem of small video distributors that require pre-payment but have found in general they do not accept credit cards either. Same story with some exhibitors at book fairs. So - all in all it has been a help - but not a panacea. **** Nancy Slight-Gibney Head, Acquisition Dept./Anthropology Subject Specialist Acting Head, Serials Department University of Oregon Library System 541/346-1831 (3)---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 10:59:17 -0500 (EST) From: Mary McLaren (Univ. of KY) Subject: Re: Credit cards in acquisitions In reply to the question of who uses credit cards in Acquisitions, our library has been using one for a year now. It comes in very handy for orders that must be prepaid. We do not release our credit card number over the web though; we use it primarily via fax and phone. Mary McLaren * Please note new e-mail address Processing Services, Team Leader 301 King Library North University of Kentucky Libraries Lexington, KY 40506-0039 ph: (606) 257-2543 fax: (606) 323-4768 e-mail: mclaren@pop.uky.edu (4)--------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Dec 1997 09:31:35 -0600 From: Jim Mumm (Marquette U. Law) Subject: Re: Credit Cards in Acquisitions (ACQNET 7:44) We use a credit card in our acquisitions department. It took a bit of work to justify the need, but it has been worth while ever since we got it. While we got the credit card primarily for rush orders, we quickly learned that we can order from Amazon.Com with it. That alone makes having it worth while. We can also go to bookstores to buy books for the library, and we can place phone orders with suppliers who will only take prepayment or credit card. Basically, we use the credit card when a purchase order is not acceptable and prepayment is not a feasible option. One other advantage is that we can make other purchases, outside of acquisitions, with a credit card. While your administration will probably frown on this at first (as did ours), it does provide some flexibility for the library. If you get a credit card make sure you have a good system of keeping track of charges and payments. I use a system of Excel spreadsheets to record all credit card payments and I keep all paperwork in a "credit card" file. When the monthly statement arrives, I work through it immediately, subtracting charges out of the spreadsheet and forwarding the statement for payment usually on the same day I receive it. I always keep a copy to which I attach all of its corresponding paperwork. Make sure you have only one person who can use the credit card. Two people with access to credit opens up lots of room for problems. Remember, the person who holds the card is responsible for it. Make sure you pay off your account every month. The purpose of the credit card is to make it easier to make payments, not to go on a spending spree. Finally, make sure the card is kept secure. The best thing I can say about having a credit card is that it provides necessary flexibility. It is a necessity in today's acquisitions department. -- Jim Mumm Acquisitions / Serials Librarian Marquette University Law Library Sensenbrenner Hall (414) 288-5351 P.O. Box 3137 FAX: (414) 288-5914 Milwaukee, WI 53201-3137 mummj@vms.csd.mu.edu (5)--------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 11:32 -0500 (EST) From: Josephine Williamson (U. of Delaware) Subject: Re: Credit Cards in Acquisitions We are using a credit card in our Acquisitions Department and find it quite useful. My university has encouraged their use across campus and has created very stringent guidelines for departments. We are set up to have a cardholder, an account administrator, and an internal reviewer for EACH card (all 3 of these people are Acquisitions staff). The cardholder receives a monthly statement. She checks it and sends it along with all receipts or copies of transactions to the account administrator. The account administrator verifies that all expenditures are valid and confirms payment on a web page set up by Purchasing. The internal reviewer checks the expenditures and randomly verifies that the items on the statement are actually in the collection or work area. This sounds cumbersome, but it actually takes only a few minutes to check the statement at each level. We have had training in these procedures and I have to admit that everyone we work with (and live with) has found great humor in the three of us going off to training sessions on how to use a credit card! You are welcome to check our Purchasing Department's home page, for more information: http://www.udel.edu/purch/purchcrd.html Or feel free to contact me with questions. Josie Williamson Acquisitions Department University of Delaware Library (302) 831-2670 (6)---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 12:12:58 -0800 (PST) From: Mary Margaret Benson Subject: Credit Cards in Acquisitions On Monday, 15 Dec 1997, Arline Haenisch asked about credit cards in acquisitions. I have had a credit card for three months, and am using it for the type of items she specified: hard-to-find items, items over the net, items purchased through catalogs which do not wish to deal with purchase orders. I requested a credit card with a minimum of $500--and I think that small minimum helped convince the powers that be. However, what really convinced them was that I had been using my personal credit card for such items. (However, I am reconsidering the $500 minimum, since I recently received a reply on an op search with a price of $495--I'll have to use my personal credit card on that one, since I have another couple small items already charged this month. I think next year I'll ask them to go up to $1000.) I think the security issues are well explained on the Amazon.com website. Mary Margaret Benson (7)--------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 11:48:03 -0500 From: Jane Fitzpatrick (SUNY Maritime) Subject: RE: Credit cards in acquisitions I am replying to the list since the Editor's note expressed a general interest in credit card purchases. Through my union (UUP) in NY, I have an American Express Corporate card, which I use mostly for foreign purchases. The most important benefit is that you don't have to pay for foreign currency checks, which can get especially expensive if you're only purchasing one item. It is also much faster to order using the card, rather than waiting for a check. I have not yet used it over the net. I also use it for quick purchases that do not need purchase requisitions. Jane Fitzpatrick SUNY Maritime College Library jfitzpatrick@sunymaritime.edu ****** END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol.8, No.1 ****** END OF FILE ******