Technical Services Program Review
Blue Ribbon Committee
Acquisitions and Gifts Focused Discussion
January 25, 2001
How non-TSD colleagues utilize Acquisitions and Gifts:
- Patrons will bring in bags of books to donate and will send materials to Gifts.
- Work with the Billing staff to deal with ILL invoices and bills.
- Submit orders for materials. Staff are helpful, always willing to find things that need to be rushed or cataloged.
- Work between Acquisitions and Nonprint Media Services has evolved over time. NPMS verifies orders with vendors and negotiates prices. All nonprint materials are treated as rush. Faculty want and need things in a timely manner because sometimes things are late breaking. Catalogers work in NPMS.
- The Gifts in Kind Office sends materials to Acquisitions to be counted. Changes were made in gifts processes as the Working Group did its work.
Issues of interest or concern:
- Even if something is a 'rush' item, tell patrons not to expect it during the current semester.
- The Acquisitions system is incredibly bad - you have to go back a number of steps to move through a process. System is not user friendly.
- The Acquisitions system is only available on certain terminals. Anyone who needs this module should have access. Loosen the controls of who has access. This could be read only.
- Need to know how to order back issues - what forms to use and who to go to for problems. People are not always told about procedural changes.
- We are not getting feedback whether we (non-TSD folks) are doing things right.
- Need to know who does what.
What Acquisitions does well:
- Scott Leffler is dedicated to tasks. He has streamlined the process. It's good to know who to go to with questions.
- Jan Siar and Margaret Cullings are terrific. Great interaction, always helpful.
What would you like to keep the same?
- Keep billing in ILL. It is helpful to see the bills coming from the libraries that we borrow from. Bills are then sent to Acquisitions.
- Keep the process of being able to search for things that are 'in process.' This is really helpful.
- Keep the VICTOR terminal next to the approval room. It is helpful to have the terminal there.
- Notify Gifts in Kind when a gift has been cataloged. The donor can then be notified. Donors like to be able to see their materials on the shelf or in the catalog. Email notification would be great.
- Keep the separate fund for money (donations, etc.) given to NPMS. It is important to be able to get to this money.
Suggestions for Acquisitions and Gifts to do differently or change:
- Switch to electronic forms for activities. Determine if it is possible to cut and paste signature information onto forms. Or at least print completed form and then sign.
- We feel we are buried in paper. Can more activities be electronic? This could eliminate some work in the units (branches).
- Change the color of the Reserves Rush forms. A different color from the other forms would attract the eye more readily.
- In new ILS, be able to switch back and forth between Acquisitions and public catalog.
- Clarify what the dates mean for Prompt Cat.
- Could the public catalog have access to the Acquisitions module so patrons can see the status of materials?
- Reconsider policy that other campus libraries can place holds on materials before our libraries receive them.
- RUSH - there is no rush. Materials take at least six weeks to arrive that can be just as long as regular orders. Would using a credit card make a difference in this process? Would like to understand how and when the credit card is used. Should selectors be approved to use a credit card?
- Would like to hear about the status of RUSH materials. The definition of rush and the methods for getting materials is not clear.
- Clarify how Acquisitions prioritizes items and determines queues. Other people should have a say in this.
- Some gift items (GOVDOCS) have not been processed since 1999. The forms had OCLC numbers on them.
- Would like to see a process for using small presses to purchase materials.
- It would be helpful if selectors could be involved in negotiating prices with publishers because some publishers can be flexible with prices.
- Continue to use focus groups to get feedback.
- It would be nice to have an ongoing dialogue with Acquisitions staff. It is important to know who to talk to about problems or to ask questions. It is also important to know when procedures and personnel change. Procedural changes need to be more visible.
- Assign a liaison to teams or units or assign an Acquisitions staff member who works with specific funds. This should involve all staff not just librarians.
- Develop a process to manage the peaks and valleys of work flow.
- Units are give different instructions about where to put things in Acquisitions - sometimes it is a "Search Unit" spot, sometimes it is a "box."
- Would like to know the status of funds when invoices are paid. Selectors have to keep track of orders and money. Money is generally returned in November and selectors are supposed to over-encumber by 10% by February. Develop an electronic order process so selectors can see what has been debited and encumbered from various funds, and when items are received but not processed.
- Use the TSD web page to clarify who does what, who to go to for problems, etc.
- Would like to see more interaction between Technical Services and Pubic Services - have Technical Services staff work with the patrons.
- Staff will sometimes buy things for the branches and get reimbursed through the Friends. The system has no process to reimburse staff for these on-site purchases.
- If the mission of Technical Services is to do things quickly, then Technical Services needs to change some of their processes.
- Interlibrary Loan uses deposit accounts. Why can't Acquisitions do this as well?
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© 2001 University of Maryland Libraries
Last Revised: Feb. 8, 2001
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