HIT> electronic book ordering

[Mark Ford <mford@RPUB.COM>]

     Most of the big jobbers like Brodart and Baker & Taylor have on-line
     ordering.  I have used Baker & Taylor's B&T Link for several years and
     found it adequate.  They furnish the software necessary for building a
     PO and you can purchase more sophisticated searching software on CD.
     Brodart also has free ordering software.  Econclad and Permabound have
     their catalogs on free diskettes from which you can place an on-line
     order.
     I hope this info helps.

     Jan Thomas                    jthomas@tenet.edu
     Bowie High School             Phone:  817-472-4443
     2101 Highbank Drive           Fax:    817-468-7767
     Arlington, Texas 76018        "I can't live without books"...or
     computers!
                                         --Thomas Jefferson
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     Quite a number of my sources have online ordering. Their software is
     generally free (or I won't use it!). Since I'm at home I'll have to
     rely on my memory but some of them are:
        Baker & Taylor
        American EconoClad
        Demco
        Follett
        Ingram
     (my brain just ran out of juice!)
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Melissa Davis                   Librarian
        Splendora Middle School         Splendora I.S.D.
        P O Box 168                     Splendora, TX 77372
        Internet: mbdavis@tenet.edu     PHONE: (713)689-2853
        CompuServe: 75146,771
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        Our district has used online ordering with Brodart for three
     years.  The product is PC Rose and runs on an IBM or clone.
     I used it a lot because I ordered $100,000 of books for a new school.
     The product works fine and it's great to know the status of each item
     as you order.
        The software was free to us and online ordering remains free,
     perhaps because we are such good customers of the company.  They
     even sent someone to train us in how to use it.  It's quite simple
     to operate.  Their support staff is always availble by phone and
     are very helpful.

     Pat Gosda  (pgosda@vms1.nysed.gov)
     Van Antwerp Middle School
     Niskayuna, NY
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     PermaBound has an online ordering service. The software is free. I
     used it to compile a recent order, but did not send it off
     electronically because our school system requires a purchase order.
     The software works well and definitely saved time.
     --
     Joe Light
     Library Media Specialist
     South Kingstown, Rhode Island
     sksrt001@LLwsbe.wsbe.org
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     At Western Nebraska Community College, we have been using BT Link for
     several years.  Last year we also began subscribing to their CD-ROM
     instead of Books in Print.  I have to say that I don't miss BIP at
     all.
     We find BT Link to be a very helpful tool in weeding as well - kind of
     check to see if a title that we were thinking of withdrawing is still
     in
     print and figure if it is (and is significantly old) it must have some
     merit to still be in print.

     I'd be happy to answer any specific questions if you have them.

     Jeanne Leader
     Information Services Director
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     We have used B&T electornic ordering for two years and think it is
     great.  We like the fact we get immediate confirmation as to what is
     and
     is not going to be shipped and the price.  Our orders also get her
     faster
     than with the older system.  We attach the confirmation to our
     purchase
     order for the auditor and it works fine.

     Joie Taylor
     Coordinator of Libraries
     Columbus Public Schools
     P.O. Box 947
     Columbus, NE 68602
     (402) 564-2864
     email: jtaylor@gilligan.esu7.k12.ne.us
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     I have tried ECO online ordering system from American Econoclad
     systems. They provided free disks which, once installed, worked
     quickly and easily. The order can be organized and held, printed, or
     sent at your own convenience.  There is a confirmation option in which
     you can confirm online that your order was indeed rec'd.  Thanks for
     asking.  I'll be curious to hear about the B&T Link also.
          Lynn Ondercin londerci%helios.uwc.edu
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     Brodart has an online ordering service called PC Rose. We have not
     really utilized this service, however, because of the number of
     schools in our district. We really have not figured out the management
     aspect of it yet. We have 110 schools who submit their titles list to
     our processing center as well as to the vendor. If they order online,
     we foresee a lot of materials arriving with no way to check them
     in.That may just be pessimistic and we're trying to work out the
     details because the savings in time and effort seem well worth it. The
     Brodart reps are very easy to work with and the program will work with
     BIP as well. Good luck.

     Vickye Drury
     Ft. Worth ISD
     Resource Librarian   vdrury@tenet.edu
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     I used BT Link for the first time this year and after several calls to
     the company we finally got the program running smoothly...part of the
     problem was with my computer and the amount of memory (amazing what
     one finds out about their computer even after having had it for 3
     years...it was not utilizing all the memory it could, but after
     installing DOS 6.2 and engaging the Himem we were in business!)  I
     really like the program and would highly recommend its usage...we plan
     to receive updates on 2x's a year as that is about all we really
     order.  Good luck.

     If you have further questions, please do not hesitate in contacting
     me.

     Karel A. Smith, Librarian/District Coordinator          Library Media
     Center
     Hazelwood Central High School                     15875 New Halls
     Ferry Road
     Florissant,MO 63031
     Voice>1-314-839-9516  Fax>1-314-839-9561
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     -------------------
     I 've been using b&t link...the only problem is you have to pay for
     the
     use of the CD-Rom for searching....if you don't get that portion of
     the ordering module, then the ordering is free.  I've been using it
     for years as our regional library council got the best deal from them.
      I'd like to see Ingram, tho....I understand everything is free during
     ordering - even checking their database to see if an item is
     vailable...now that would be nice!

     all best,

     Roselle

     American School for the Deaf
     r_weiner@sacam.oren.ortn.edu
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     I obtained a copy of the "Permasearch" cd from my Permabound rep.  It
     is  a very comprehensive version of their catalog with full notations
     and excellent search capabilities.  The problem is that the cd does
     not support building a list and printing out the list which is what I
     really wanted it for.  Now I am going to try their electronic ordering
     software which is on a floppy disk for Mac or PC.  It lacks the
     notation but will print a list to accompany a paper purchase order or
     electronic order.

     Brodart has PC Rose Plus.  They will send the software, they are our
     "bid" vendor.  I have not ordered but did look up some titles last
     week.
     It seems to work well.  When ordering, I think you just make your
     order up and then transmit.  I will try that in the spring when I
     finish selecting books. :-)

     Maggie McGraw                          William Slider Middle School
     mmcgraw@tenet.edu                      11700 School Lane
                                            El Paso, TX 79936
                                       (915) 857-4450
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     I use Bound to Stay Bound electronic ordering system, but it is pretty
     archaic.  I enter the book numbers from the print catalog and send
     them to BTSB.  They mark the titles as Reserved, or numerically by how
     far along they are in the binding and stocking process.  In a couple
     of days I can call their computer and download this marked list.
     There is a total cost of the reserved books without processing costs
     that I can use to make the Purchase order.  This lets the PO be closer
     to the final cost and then the monies are not encumbered necessarily.
     I called and asked for the Permabound CD but I have not received it
     yet.  I don't know that I would change vendors for a great online
     service...I am still looking for the best book value. But I would sure
     like to have more information in the database and be able to keep a
     consideration file with enough information that I could make the cuts
     based on more that just my memory.

     <edibble@spencer.uiuc.fred.org> ---------------- 39.17.30N, 86.46.30E
     Ellen Dibble
     Teacher K-12 at Spencer Elementary,  Spencer-Owen           Spencer,
     IN