Baker & Taylor Urges Patience (PART 1)

[Kimberley Walker BTB BWTR Mkt WALKERK - BTMAIL]

BAKER & TAYLOR URGES PATIENCE ON OUTSOURCING BILL
AS PROBLEMS ARE BEING RESOLVED

Bridgewater, NJ--March 5, 1997--Officials from Baker & Taylor Books today urged
 the Hawaii state legislature and the public to "be patient" over the next seve
ral weeks as issues related to the outsourcing of state library books are being
 resolved and the value of the contract is being measured.

"It is unfortunate the Senate committee passed SB 538 without the benefit of cu
rrent or accurate information on the outsourcing contract with HSPLS," said Arn
ie Wight, senior vice president, Customized Library Services at Baker & Taylor.
  "In fact, many of the early systems problems that are the root of the librari
ans' concerns have been corrected, and the state's library patrons and taxpayer
s will soon begin to appreciate the benefits of this contract."

Baker & Taylor has been working closely with the HSPLS and the Hawaii Board of
Education on correcting the early problems, and to assess the total performance
 of the contract since its inception.  Last month the Board endorsed the outsou
rcing concept, but also called on Baker & Taylor to conduct a performance and c
ontract evaluation.

"We welcome the performance and contract reviews, because this exercise provide
s the best means for us to work out solutions with the direct input and partici
pation of the staff at HSPLS," Wight said.  "We recognize the contract has expe
rienced some problems and we have taken full responsibility for fixing those pr
oblems, working with the HSPLS staff."

Wight cited several examples of issues that were singled out in the press and
in legislative testimony as problems which were either not accurate or have alr
eady been corrected.  For example, there have been no duplications of titles si
nce December, and certain titles which were allegedly selected by Baker & Taylo
r were never actually ordered or provided by Baker & Taylor.  A Practical Guide
 to Lambing and Lambing Care was not ordered or shipped by Baker & Taylor and N
ewt Gingrich's "1945" was purchased by HSPLS prior to the contract.

Most important, Wight said a Selection Advisory Committee, which includes two b
ranch librarians and two HSPLS staff members, was instituted last September.  t
his Committee reviews and approves all Baker & Taylor suggested orders and adds
 other titles requested by the 49 branch libraries.  "The Selection Advisory Co
mmittee is an important and realistic way to involve more branch librarians dir
ectly in the selection process," Wight said.

Baker & Taylor was awarded the outsourcing process after an extensive competiti












ve bidding process by the HSPLS.  The contract requires B&T to fulfill the quan
tity, type and mix of materials stipulated by the HSPLS contract.  B&T provides