-------- Original Message --------
Subject: The letter I use for unsolicited materials
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 09:26:31 -0800
From: Rick Anderson <rickand@unr.edu>

I've had a number of requests from SERIALST subscribers asking for a
copy of
the form letter I use when publishers send unsolicited material.  Enough
requests, in fact, that instead of responding to them directly I'm going
to
post the text of that letter below.  Obviously, I assert no copyright --
use
or alter it as you wish.

By the way, I use this letter both in response to unsolicited monographs
and
when publishers treat our firm orders as if they were standing orders,
automatically sending us "updates" that we had not specifically
requested
(law publishers, ironically, are especially prone to this sort of
thing). If
you're going to use a letter like this for the latter type of situation,
make sure that your firm orders state clearly that they are not intended
as
standing orders; if your orders aren't clear and the publication is
serial
in nature, you can't necessarily blame the publisher for assuming a
standing
order.

One more "by the way": in the letter I refer to U.S. Code Title 39,
Section
3009.  If you'd like to see the exact language, go here:
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/unframed/39/3009.html

Here's the text I use:

"Dear Sir/Madam,

We have received from you a book which we did not order, along with an
invoice; please find a copy enclosed.  As far as we can tell, it was
sent to
us in hopes that we would wish to purchase.

This marketing approach is illegal.  In accordance with Title 39 of the
U.S.
Code, Section 3009, we will consider this book to be a gift, and we will
either keep or dispose of it as we see fit.  We will do the same with
any
unsolicited materials you send us in the future; this includes
unsolicited
updates of books we have purchased in earlier editions.

You may feel free to continue sending us free books if you wish.  Be
advised, however, that we will not pay for books we have not ordered,
nor
will we invest the staff time necessary to return them to you, even if
you
provide postpaid shipping labels.  You would probably do best to cease
sending us unsolicitied materials and to desist from establishing
standing
orders for us without our consent.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Best regards,"

-------------
Rick Anderson
Electronic Resources/Serials Coordinator
The University Libraries
University of Nevada, Reno
1664 No. Virginia St.
Reno, NV  89557
PH  (775) 784-6500 x273
FX  (775) 784-1328
rickand@unr.edu