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Library Administration and Management
Notes These are examined below:
Trade Discounts: Trade discounts are a common feature in book purchases. The discounts
may vary according to categories of publications. Normally a 10% discount is admissible
on books. Indian language publications may have higher discount rates while law books,
etc., are short discount items. Government publications carry no discount at all. The rates
of discount admitted to libraries by booksellers are part of the discount they themselves
get from the publisher. Where competition is acute, a bookseller may even under quote to
the extent that actual supply will become practically impossible. To check this unhealthy
competition, standard norms would become necessary. One such measure employed in
Britain is the Net Book Agreement. This trade agreement prevents price cutting in books
by prescribing a uniform commission for libraries. Almost a similar agreement is available
in India.
Notes The Net Book Agreement is an instrument signed in 1929 (and revised in 1933) by
the Library Association, the Publisher Association, and the Association of Bookseller of
Great Britain and Ireland.
Conversion rates: Conversion rate can cause problems in buying foreign books. As you
know, exchange rates are always subject to fluctuations. Hence, current rates cannot be
applied in fixing the price of books in all cases. Competitive rates will be offered by
booksellers. Here again, standard norms are necessary to check the possibilities of under
quoting. In India, such a standardisation can be achieved by the recommendations of a
body known as the Good Offices Committee.
The Good Offices Committee is a voluntary organisation with representatives of publishers
and booksellers’ organisations, professional library associations, major university and
special libraries and documentation centres, the University Grants Commission and
representatives from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The Committee
meets at regular intervals to decide upon the conversion rates of foreign currencies to be
applied in the case of books and periodicals, and the rate of discount admissible to libraries.
It has among other things recommended a uniform discount of 10% on the published price
of all books except the non-discount-or short-discount items. The recommendations of the
Good Office Committee are being increasingly accepted by all libraries in India.
Other Terms and Conditions of Supply: Regarding other terms and conditions of supply,
the library must ensure that the vendor is made legally and morally bound to supply only
the ordered document, in its perfect condition, and at the correct price. A model set of
terms and conditions of an agreement between the library and the vendor can be found in
the book, Library Manual by Ranganathan.
9.3.2 Types of Order
Book ordering practices cannot be the same in all cases. These are:
Specific Orders
Blanket Orders
Standing Orders
Pre-paid Orders
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