c/o Katina Strauch Post Office Box 799 Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482 MLA, SLA, BOOK EXPO ISSUE TM VOLUME 30, NUMBER 2 APRIL 2018 ISSN: 1043-2094 “Linking Publishers, Vendors and Librarians” Vendor Library Partnerships by Maggie Farrell (Dean of Libraries, University of Nevada Las Vegas) <
[email protected]> and Barbara Kawecki (Director of Customer Retention, Western U.S. GOBI Library Solutions from EBSCO) <
[email protected]> and Rick Branham (Vice President Academic Library Initiatives, SirsiDynix) <
[email protected]> e are pleased to present the featured to provide tools and techniques to improve of depth in which it might be a casual, informal articles on vendor partnerships. This the relationship recognizing the shared goals, relationship to a deep, connected partnership. Wstory began many years ago when the motivational differences, and problem solving There are certain characteristics that are evident three of us, likely over drinks, mulled about the methods. Most recently, we have been interest- when the relationship moves from a purchaser sometimes contentious relationship between ed in transforming a vendor-client arrangement to a partnership. In this issue, we will explore vendors and librarians. The relationship can to form a more engaged relationship in which those characteristics as well as provide some be defined as “frenemies” in which librarians the vendor and librarian are acting as partners. ideas on how to form partnerships. Tips and tolerate working with vendors as a necessary Approaching a vendor as a partner, rather than a strategies will be presented that will facilitate evil in order to purchase services and content.