Our director feels that by having contacts with the major "players",
should something happen with one of the vendors, we have a head start on
transfering our subscriptions to one or more of the others (ie) an account
number, a familiar account rep. who knows us, we are familar with the
services, reports and billing procedures etc.

A large number of our titles are with one vendor, and have varying numbers
with the others.  We even have a few that we order direct because of
getting a better price break or like wanting a voting institutional
membership in a society.

The line count on all of our purchase orders total over 2000, and 1100 is
not small at all.

Remember some years ago (1995) when Faxon was going through that troubling
time and the e-mail list servs were filled with clients jumping ship and
going with someone else.  Those other agencies I understand (and may be
wrong) were hard pressed to enter subscriptions for those clients before
the end of the year.  We stayed with Faxon and sure enough, they
"weathered the storm" and are as good if not better (in my experience).
I later heard that some of those who changed, changed back.

Now with the concern [percieved or otherwise] with the purchase by
ROWECOM, I have not seen the listserve messages buzzing with talk of
changing, it is more of a wait and see. I can see how the vendors we use
are changing and improving their products and services that we may or may
not need now or in the future.

This is why this library is doing these things this way.

Any opinions expressed are MINE and not of the Library, Management, or the
Institution for which I work.

John Lucas
Serials Librarian
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2500 North State St
Jackson, MS 39216-4505

(PH) (601) 984-1277
(FAX)  ( 601) 984-1262
<jlucas@ROWLAND.UMSMED.EDU>

>>> Vince Jenkins <vince.jenkins@DOMAIL.MARICOPA.EDU> 12/17/99 11:35AM >>>
John Lucas wrote:

>  We use Faxon, Ebsco, Blackwell, and some Matthews (some continuation type).

What advantages do you find in using several subscription vendors?  We use
just one (but we only subscribe to about 1100 titles).

--
Vince Jenkins
Coordinator, Library Technical Services
Maricopa County Community College District
Tempe, Ariz. 85281-6942
ph  480-731-8774
fx  480-731-8787
vince.jenkins@domail.maricopa.edu