Re: Quotes from subscription vendors Mina Davenport 09 Jul 2007 17:12 UTC

I would ask about claiming, both online and in phone/email. What is their customer service like, make sure you have the same rep. Ask about renewals and invoicing, and if it is an issue, ask if they will "turn on" the electronic access for you. Find out if they specialize in the types of journals you get (eg I'm in a medical library). And, although you are in a gov. library, remember: you get what you pay for! Finally, yes, if the questions are straight-forward, you should expect a reply in about a week. (That gives you some idea of their responsiveness, and how much they want your business.)

Good luck

Mina

PS My pet peeve - I will no longer use a vendor that is a public company

Mina Davenport, Librarian
Childrens Hospital
Health Sciences Library
747 52nd Street
Oakland CA 94609  USA
(510) 428-3448 (p)
(510) 601-3963 (f)
mdavenport@mail.cho.org