Using a Vendor’s System to Streamline Book Selection and Ordering

1. Using a Vendor’s System to Streamline Book Selection and Ordering Thomas Hung University of Hong Kong Libraries 3rd HKIUG Meeting

2. Background Information • In HKUL, book funds are allocated to faculties each year • Most of the book selections are initiated by faculties, with the help of subject selectors • There are approximately 45,000 book orders of Western language materials annually • We receive 70,000 book recommendations each year • We have approval plans, firm orders and standing orders • Our major book vendor is Blackwell’s Book Services (BBS) this year

3. Traditional Way of Book Selection and Ordering Paper book recommendations Book selection Acquisitions Department Send out orders by mail Book vendor Typing orders Bibliographic checking

4. Advantages of incorporating a vendor’s system into acquisitions workflow • To increase cost effectiveness • To save manpower • To save time • To have less paper works • To avoid errors

5. Book Registration Online (BRO) • A system designed by HKUL Systems staff for faculties to send in their book recommendations electronically • BRO is in the format of Oracle database and can be accessed in a Web interface • BRO database now consists of records received from the BBS New Title Alert Service (NTAS) • Records are based on the form plans set up by BBS for various teaching departments

7. Book Registration Online (BRO) • Only registered HKU academic staff or subject selectors can use BRO to recommend books being purchased out of departmental book fund • To register, they must apply for a username and password from the Libraries • BRO will identify which department the users belong to once they login • All book recommendations require the approval of department heads or their delegates

9. Book Registration Online (BRO) • An approved title will be received by the Acquisitions Department • We will check our database once more for duplication, fund balances, and then make an order to the vendor • We will also mark the record in BRO, so that all requesters will know the status, i.e., "ordering", "rejected", etc. • An email message will be sent to the original requesters informing them if their recommendations have been rejected either by the department head or the Acquisitions Department

12. Collection Manager • It is a database of Blackwell’s Book Services (BBS) • It has the ability to interface with library systems • It can assist in streamlining workflows from the point of selection to the receipt of book • There are 3 interactive options: • Online request for purchase • Online ordering • Export brief MARC order record for loading to the local library system

13. Collection Manager

15. HKUL Book Order Workflows Book selection In BRO BBS Book shipment Request & order In Collection Manager by Acquisitions Dept. BISAC Order records HKUL Innopac Export pre-order MARC records

17. Why Not Use Collection Manager for Book Selection? • Right management in Collection Manager is not satisfactory • e.g. Head of Department A can approve/reject recommendations of Department B • Interface is not user-friendly • No blank form to request title not in the database

18. Future Enhancements of BRO • Addition of staff editing mode • Capability of loading information into Innopac to create bibliographic and order records automatically • Capability of checking duplicates before creating bibliographic and order records • Capability of showing fund expenditure and balance