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Libraries as Entrepreneurial Booksellers: Counterintuitive Cha-Ching Bill Kane, Alibris Walter Sears, Better World Books Libraries have actually been selling books for centuries, but only with the advent of Internet technologies in the past decade have libraries been able to easily reach a worldwide audience of motivated book buyers. With just a few clicks, libraries are turning leftover booksale books, discards, de-accessions, and unwanted donations into real money – money which can be relatively seamlessly converted back into acquisitions/collection development funds, extending otherwise shrinking budgets. Among other such bookselling sites, Alibris.com has created real-time turnkey user interfaces for both buyers and sellers, enabling libraries to upload listings very quickly, at nominal cost. Literally millions of local, regional, national, and international book buyers can thus peruse libraries’ for-sale inventory (alongside millions of other books, granted), ideally resulting in quick sales, almost all of which is almost always pure profit. In addition, and likewise among other organizations of their ilk, Better World Books has devised mutually profitable services allowing libraries to off-load not only their books, but also most of the work involved in selling, as well as — via its donation programs — any latent guilt involved in exchanging unwanted books for money. Finally, there are still other innovative ways for libraries to earn some per-click commissions by pointing patrons from a book on the library’s shelf (or just in the catalog) to another copy of the book on a bookseller’s for-sale shelves – and by “selling” books thus, affiliate links may pay off in more ways than just mutual goodwill. Two speakers – librarians from both Alibris.com and Better World Books – will have 20 minutes each to discuss their respective programs and services, including real-time online demonstrations of bookselling and donation operations and metrics, leaving time for questions and/or testimonials. Download the first presentation and second presentation. William P. Kane is Account Manager for Alibris for Libraries [email protected] Walter Sears is Director of Library Division for Better World Books [email protected]
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Libraries as Entrepreneurial Booksellers:
Counterintuitive Cha-Ching
Roselle AgnerBetter World Books
Agenda
IntroductionsLet’s get to know each other
Online Book SalesListing & Shipping & Questions, oh my!
OutsourcingMove over IT, here comes Acquisitions
Q & AYou’ve got questions, I’ve got answers
Introductions: Audience
Online Marketplaces
Auction MarketplaceList any item, based on a listing name created by its seller for an open auction.
Ebay.com, Overstock.com, Yahoo!Auctions
Catalog MarketplaceList catalog items for sale (i.e. books, cds, dvds, etc.) based on their unique catalog numbers (i.e. isbn or upc) at a set price.
BetterWorldBooks.com, Alibris.com
Marketplaces Considerations
SizeNumber of CategoriesListing Options
PopularityAre you familiar with this site?
CostsWhat are the costs associated with selling/buying on this site?
CompetitionMultiple SellersMultiple Listings
Marketplaces Considerations
Search FeaturesIt is easy to find items?
ReputationIs this site known for certain types of items?Seller Rating-Buyers feedback from previous transactionsCondition Rating-Overall condition of the item
PaymentCheck, Credit Card, Money Order, etc
ShippingAre there any shipping requirements for the buyer/seller?Standard, Expedited, Consolidated
Online Book Sales
SortingResearchingListingPickingShippingReturningCustomer Service
Outsource!
Let someone do the work for you!
What’s involved?
Your jobSortPackShip
Their job:SortingResearchingListingPickingShippingReturningCustomer Service
Show me the $$$!
A percentage of net proceeds are payable to the library.Net proceeds are defined as the sale price of the book minus any market place commissions and reimbursements.
Sign me up I have tons to send!!
Acceptance GuidelinesSome are more specific than others (type, volume, condition, etc)Basic Guideline: Send what you would buy
Sorting and Prescreening ToolsHelp determine which books to sendContinue to have multiple revenue generating projects
Discarded and Donated Material…
ACCEPTABLE Books that are in saleable condition
• no water damage, mildew/mold, missing pages, spine damage, etc.
hardcover fiction/non-fiction Textbooks (1998 or newer) travel books (2003 or newer) dictionaries trade paperbacks DVDs & Books on CD Mass Market Paperbacks rare/collectible books
ACCEPTABLEEx-Library Books
Markings on the SpineStickersLabelsDue Date CardsStampsPlatesEtc.
Discarded and Donated Material…
NOT ACCEPTABLE Complete or Incomplete Encyclopedia Sets Magazines/Periodicals/Academic Journals Catalogs/Directories/Desk Reference Books Tax Documents/ Government Documents Volume Serials Reader’s Digest Books LP Records, VHS, Cassettes, or CDs The Following Series:
Book Club Editions Harlequin Romance Novels The Modern Library Series Reader’s Digest Condensed Marquis Who’s Who
Discarded and Donated Material…
Additional Services
Online Sidewalk SalesAffiliate ProgramsAntiquarian, Rare & Collectable ProcessingBook Drive FundraisersMarketing and PR Support
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
What’s important to your library?Costs?Flexible Options?Social and Environmental Impact?
Find a service that best meets your needs and those of your library
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