-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Business Directories
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 08:53:19 -0600
From: "Sarah D. Tusa" <tusa@almark.lamar.edu>
Reply-To: tusa@almark.lamar.edu
Organization: Lamar University

Greetings.  Just before I came down with bronchitis, I noticed a
discussion of marketing habits for certain business directories.  I
offer one or two more caveats to the discussion.
First, the marketer(s) sometimes get hold of more than one office
extension.  For  instance, I know that in my library the same sales rep
has called at least 3 different people to "verify our address."  We have
since sent out  a warning to everyone in the library to forward such
calls to me.  "Verifying an address" can magically turn into a firm
order, as we have discovered.
Also, as I have recently been reminded, when I ask if I may check our
records to see if we have purchased the proffered directory previously,
the telemarketer abruptly ends the conversation.   Hmmmm.  Anyhow,
people might want to alert their staff to the ploy of verifying the
library's address.
Happy Holidays!

Sarah Tusa
Serials Acquisitions Librarian
Lamar University
Beaumont, TX