From: "Joe H. Rose" <Rosej_at_mails.flcoll.edu>
My library recently purchased the library collection of an institution that
had to close. It was a rather sizable collection, by our standards--we
have been a small two-year college for 53 years, and are now trying to
move toward four-year programs. We are now in the process of
integrating the other collection into our own. As expected, we are
finding a number of duplicate titles. As most of you can imagine, when
one's institution lays out several thousand dollars, the President and
business officer essentially balk at the idea of simply "giving away"
duplicates which could possibly be sold. Our president requests that
we find a way to recoup some of our outlay by selling our duplicate
periodicals and books, rather than simply listing them all on one of the
duplicate exchange programs.
Does anyone know the best way of "advertising" what we have available
and getting it out to sell? I've sold a few individual items, but we were
thinking of trying to sell it as a complete collection. Any advice from
anyone who might have done anything like this before?
Some of the items are not "rare" or out-of-print books that collectors or
others might be looking for. We are going through the reference
collection now and are coming across various reference sets which are
up-to-date. For example, we have the complete 5 volume set of the
Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History published in 1996
by McMillan. It still lists through Ingram for $139 per volume. How
would be the best way to come in contact with libraries that might be
interested in purchasing this whole set for, say, $200. We have 161
volumes of Contemporary Authors - which sells now for $145 per volume
(before discounts). I'd like to know how I might come in contact with
libraries that may have wanted this series, or started it late, but couldn't
afford it at the time. I'm sure we could provide it at a fraction of the cost.
I hope this doesn't sound like a "sales pitch." I've looked for relevant
help in the literature, but have come up essentially empty. I've looked
into listing as a bookseller on ABE; and I've looked at a couple of other
places online, but we are understaffed as it is and don't have time to
really do a good job "listing" books as a bookseller would. Are there any
online lists that aren't necessarily duplicate exchanges, but which
Academic or Public libraries might list items for sale?
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Thanks,
Joe H. Rose
rosej_at_flcoll.edu
Florida College, Chatlos Library
119 N. Glen Arven Ave.
Temple Terrace, FL 33617
(813) 899-6777
Received on Sun Mar 28 1999 - 16:13:25 EST