-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Victor Kamkin response... Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 08:43:03 -0600 From: Christopher Waldrop <Waldrop@library.vanderbilt.edu> Organization: Vanderbilt University As the person who wrote the original message for this list about Kamkin, I think there are a few things I should clarify. Kamkin has been a very good vendor for Vanderbilt University Library for several years, and if they're now experiencing problems, we'd hate to compound those problems by withdrawing all orders from them. However, in the past months our claims have gone unanswered. Queries sent by e-mail about a journal that showed up on our renewal list but which we had not received in two years (and which I learned from another source had ceased) went unanswered. When we received the letter from Inform-Systema, we decided to take a wait-and- see approach, but news we got from other places made me think that it would be good to go ahead and act. I also spoke to a Kamkin customer service representative who confirmed that they were having problems, although we've never gotten anything in writing to confirm this. While I can't condone unfair or illegal business practices, the fact that Kamkin didn't share with us the information they sent to the Slavic list bothers me. Vanderbilt University Library doesn't subscribe to a large number of Russian periodicals, but, to me, that makes it that much more important that we make sure we get the ones we do keep. Currently we're holding things as they are while we wait for more information. At the same time, I can't help feeling that we're lucky to have found out about this when we did. If we had discovered Kamkin was having problems in February or March of 2002, or even later, switching to another vendor would not only mean paying for the same subscriptions again, it might mean that we would have to pay extra for the 2001 issues we still haven't received. > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Victor Kamkin response... > Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 16:32:55 -0500 > From: Scott Wicks <sbw2@cornell.edu> > > For the record... > > > The following message was posted to a Slavic list on 11/15. I don't > usually repeat such messages in other lists, but I feel this issue is > hot enough to warrant such a step. Each Kamkin customer will need to > draw his/her own conclusions. > > Good luck with reaching your own. > > --scott > > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++== > For those who are reading e-mail and are worrying about a threatened > mini-crisis in Russian acquisitions (on the tenth anniversary of the big > > one, which gave rise to slavlibs). The result of my effort to obtain > written confirmation from Kamkin: > > >From: "Victor Kamkin" <Kamkin@verizon.net> > >To: "Alan Pollard" <apollard@umich.edu> > >Subject: Re: Informa-Systema > >Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2001 11:33:14 -0500 > > > >Dear Mr. Pollard, > > > >What Inform-Systema is doing is illegal and we have referred the matter > to > >our attorneys. We expect to file a lawsuit against Inform-Systema and > any > >company that tries to illegally steal our subscription market. > > > >With respect to the 2002 subscriptions, we are making other > arrangements > >that will ensure timely delivery as of January 2002. With respect to > the > >2001 subscriptions, we are working on obtaining all missing issues. In > the > >event that these issues are no longer available, we will credit all > >subscribers for the missing issues. > > > >We apologize for these problems but would like to assure you that the > >actions we are taking will preclude this from happening again. > > > >Sincerely, > > > >Victor Kamkin, Inc. > >(301) 881-5973 > >email: kamkin@kamkin.com > >web: www.kamkin.com > > > At 09:05 AM 11/28/01 -0500, you wrote: > > > -------- Original Message -------- > > Subject: Re: Victor Kamkin -- Christopher Waldrop > > Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 17:10:59 -0500 > > From: Kim Maxwell <kmaxwell@mit.edu> > > > > > > We've received those letters as well. I have written to Kamkin, > > looking > > for their official response. We are currently in the midst of a > > discussion, and I'm hoping for some more concrete answers soon. I was > > > > glad > > to have the information from these two companies, but I felt Kamkin > > should > > be given the opportunity to explain their position. I have received > > my > > 2002 renewals from Kamkin, so they do seem prepared to invoice us for > > next > > year. > > > > Kim Maxwell > > > > At 04:59 PM 11/27/01 -0500, you wrote: > > >-------- Original Message -------- > > >Subject: Victor Kamkin. > > >Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 15:44:12 -0600 > > >From: Christopher Waldrop <Waldrop@library.vanderbilt.edu> > > >Organization: Vanderbilt University > > > > > > > > >Hello, > > > > > >I apologize if this has already been brought up--I looked through the > > > > >most recent messages and didn't see anything about it, but I may have > > > > >missed it. > > > > > >At Vanderbilt, we've been contacted by two different sources > > >informing us that Victor Kamkin Bookstore, which supplies most of > > >our Russian periodical subscriptions and standing orders, has run > > into > > >trouble. Apparently they're not going to be able to supply periodical > > > > >subscriptions or standing orders in 2002. I don't know, but book > > >orders may be affected as well. > > > > > >According to one person I spoke to, several libraries are already > > aware > > >of this, but I thought I'd let others know. > > > > > > > > >Christopher Waldrop > > >Serials Coordinator > > >Vanderbilt University Library > > >Order Services Department > > >Tel: 615-343-3831 > > >Fax: 615-343-8834 > > > > > > ________________________________________ > > Kim Maxwell > > Serials Acquisitions Librarian > > Massachusetts Institute of Technology > > MIT Libraries, Room 14E-210 > > 77 Massachusetts Ave. > > Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 > > phone: 1-617-253-7028 > > fax: 1-617-253-2464 > > email: kmaxwell@mit.edu > > ACCESS MY CALENDAR THROUGH CORPORATE TIME > PH: 607 255-4960 FAX: 607 255-6110 > *********************************************** > Scott B. Wicks *** > Head, Acquisitions Services *** > Cornell University Library *** > 110A Olin Library *** > Ithaca, NY *** > 14853-5301 *** > ____ *** > - *** > *** > *** > *** Christopher Waldrop Serials Coordinator Vanderbilt University Library Order Services Department Tel: 615-343-3831 Fax: 615-343-8834
