From: John Barnett <JBarnett_at_utsa.edu>
Hello Colldev-l readers:
Our library is contemplating selling duplicate, rare materials via an online
auction site, such as Ebay, or via an OP book site, such as Alibris.com. I
have searched library literature and found articles that describe various
successes with using Ebay.
One of the questions that remains unanswered for me regarding Ebay is how to
establish an account or register on the site using a credit card. Our
university credit card cannot be used to establish such an account.
Therefore, this leads me to the conclusion that I would need to use my own
credit card to register on the site, which for various reasons, both
personal and legal, I would rather not do. (I cannot imagine it looking very
good to our auditors if I were selling library materials under my name with
funds possibly being transferred to my credit card.)
I recently spoke with a representative from Alibris and learned how some
libraries are selling materials by setting up an online shop, in effect, on
Alibris. I haven't even started to research the literature on this, but I
would be interested to hear about other libraries' successes or failures
with this approach. I would think using Alibris or a similar site would be a
better approach for us--we'd more likely get the purchase price we want,
rather than auctioning the material to the highest bidder, and we'd reach a
more specialized and appropriate market, those looking for used/rare/OP
books.
Like the tourism advertisements say, Texas is a whole other country, so we
may have some state rules about such business practices that may limit or
prevent our use of either Ebay of Alibris. I would especially be interested
in hearing from those at other Texas academic libraries regarding their
experiences with this approach.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
John
John Barnett
Collection Development Coordinator
UTSA Library
_________________________________________
University of Texas at San Antonio
JPL 2.01.16
6900 North Loop 1604 West
San Antonio, Texas 78249-0671
(210) 458-4575 (voicemail)
(210) 458-4577 (fax)
jbarnett_at_utsa.edu
http://www.lib.utsa.edu
Received on Mon Sep 09 2002 - 07:30:05 EDT