Acquisitions Department

OUT-OF-PRINT (OP) MATERIAL

Original editions

1. Sources
1. When sources of out-of-print material are known, requests for quotes or orders are sent directly to the source and treated as routine quotes or orders.
2. When no source is known and a Searcher determines that an item is out-of-print, the request card is given to the Department Head who may attempt to locate the material through a firm which engages in perpetual searches for such material. U of M uses several such firms for this service.
2. OP Firms
1. Blackwell North America, Inc./10300 S. W. Allen Blvd./Beaverton, Oregon 97005 [phone: (503) 643-8423]: will search for any book published in the U. S. or Canada and any foreign book published in the English language. The firm issues a monthly publication, Richard's Reference, which is a computer produced listing (by author and title) of those books which have been ordered by OP customers. The average edition is 100 pages long and contains 5,000 titles; entries are repeated every fourth month. This booklet is sent to a select group of more than 250 antiquarian book dealers in the U. S., Canada, and Great Britain, including Blackwell's of Oxford, England. Approximately 40 percent of all OP requests are filled within one year. Blackwell North America will supply without confirmation by the library any item which is priced less than $35 and will quote anything over $35. Orders can be canceled at any time unless the book has already been purchased. Searches will be active for one year; after that the order will be automatically canceled and returned to the library for review.
2. B. K. BOOKS/P. O. Box 1681/Main Station/White Plains, NY 10602: will search for any OP books. Specialties are American and British history, biography, literature, theater, film, and music.
3. Rare Books, Maps & Prints/A. Mueller, Proprietor/P. O. Box 3005/St. Augustine, Florida 32084
4. L. S. Straight/101 Maple Street/Weehawken, New Jersey 07087 [phone: (201) 863-9115]
3. OP Searching
1. Department Head:
1. Decides which requests for OP items will be pursued;
2. Marks in red at top of card "OP SEARCHING - (vendor's name);
3. Routes request cards to Acquisitions Library Assistant.
2. Acquisitions Library Assistant:
1. Searches for holdings or previous orders;
2. Searches to be sure no trade source exists for the item;
Searches for cataloging copy;
3. Routes to Acquisitions Clerical Assistant.
3. Clerical Assistant:
1. Types a form for the title, including
1. All pertinent bibliographical information;
2. In upper left corner, all capitals: (vendor's name)
3. In upper right corner, all capitals: OP SEARCHING;
4. Date ordered: month/day/year SR (SR - search request);
5. Fund code: LBOP (fund code of requesting department in parentheses);
6. Near bottom of form: Acquisitions Department, O.P. University of Memphis Libraries, Memphis, TN 38152
2. Addresses an envelope to the vendor;
3. Routes the request card, all copies of the multi-part form, and envelope to the Acquisitions Library Assistant.
4. Acquisitions Library Assistant:
1. Pens in red on the top of the request card the date (00/00/00 SR);
2. Proofreads the multi-part form and the envelope, making any necessary corrections;
3. Inserts in the envelope the "terms of the order, Out-Of-Print Search Request";
4. Separates and disperses forms as follows:
1. In OP Searching File (adjacent to Vendor File), files
2. Firm Orders
1. Whenever a definite source of supply is known, the library will place a firm order for the item (by typing a purchase order for the item and obligating funds for its purchase). Such orders will be handled as quickly as demanded in as routine a fashion as possible.
2. Acquisitions Library Assistant: upon being advised by a vendor that a title for which it has been searching is indeed available.
1. Gets approval from the Department Head before order is placed:
2. Pulls request card, green and buff forms from the OIP;
3. Performs any necessary re-searching;
4. Lines through in red ink the notation "OP SEARCHING -(DATE)";
5. Affixes a blue flag to the request card; and
6. Pencils in parenthesis following the publisher the name and address of the vendor;
7. Makes sure the fund code reads "LBOP (fund code of requesting dept.)"
8. Routes the request card to the Assistant Department Head for ordering.
3. Receiving orders obligated prior to receipt (with P.O. number)
   These are handled by Shipping & Receiving Assistant as normal; records on statistical report the number items received on fund code LBOP.
4. Receiving orders not obligated prior to receipt (without P.O. number)
   The persons unpacking book shipments should identify such material by finding forms marked "OP SEARCHING" in the OIP; this material should be given to the Acquisitions Library Assistant.
1. Acquisitions Library Assistant:
1. Determines that the item has been received as the result of an OP search and holds the item;
2. Retrieves the green and salmon copies of the Demco form and vendor card and cataloging copy from the order in process file;
3. Asks Clerical Assistant to prepare a purchase order with the notation "DO NOT MAIL; MATERIAL ON HAND."
2. Order Typist:
1. Types purchase order for item using fund code "LBOP"_____(four letter code for requesting department);
2. Has Acquisitions Library Assistant [work Leader] proofread order;
3. Gives all copies of form, including vendor card and cataloging to Shipping/Receiving Assistant.
3. Shipping/Receiving Assistant:
1. De-obligates as a routine order (approving the invoice for payment, routing invoice and form to Bookkeeping, and routing the material for cataloging or re-searching as appropriate);
2. Notes receipt date on buff Demco and sends it to the Department Head so his files can be cleared.

    7.     Cancellation The Department Head will examine search requests to vendors periodically to determine for which orders the searching request should be canceled. a.     Orders obligated prior to receiving are handled as routine orders. b.     Material canceled on the basis of an OP search is handled thusly: (1)     Blackwell/North America (a)     Mails a confirmation request if the material is over $35, quoting the cost and condition; [1]     The Department Head determines to buy or to cancel the material; [2]     The Acquisitions Library Assistant returns to vendor (Blackwell/North America) with items labeled, SUPPLY or CANCEL. [3]     To cancel the Acquisitions Library Assistant pulls all Demco copies from the OIP and route to the Department Head. (These copies are used to clear the Department Head's files). (b)     After Blackwell/North America has searched for approximately a year (9-18 months) the pink Demco is mailed back to the Acquisitions Department with the quote attached "THIS TITLE HAS BEEN ON OP SEARCH FOR 9-18 MONTHS OR MORE, RETURN ORDER TO OP DEPT., IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE SEARCHING". [1]     Acquisitions Library Assistant: [a]     Gets the Department Head's approval before cancellation; [b]     Pulls all copies of the Demco from OIP and routes to Department Head. [2]     Department Head: [a]     Uses pink Demco to clear files; [b]     Discards pink and all other Demco copies. [3]     Blackwell/North America cancels without further notice. (2)     B. K. Books and all other vendors used for OP searching will notify the Acquisitions Department when material has been located. (a)     Department Head: [l]     Determines (according to price and condition quoted) if to buy or to cancel; [2]     Routes correspondence to Acquisitions Library Assistant. (b)     Acquisitions Library Assistant: [l]     Treats correspondence and cancellation accordingly (no pattern is set); [2]     Pulls all Demco copies from OIP and routes to the Department Head. (c)     Department Head follows the same procedure used when canceling OP orders from Blackwell/North America.

Send questions/comments/suggestions to Foster Bunday Acquisitions Department | The University of Memphis | University Libraries 126 Ned R. McWherter Library | Memphis, TN 38152-3250 Phone: (901) 678-2203 | Fax: (901) 678-8218