First of all, the response from the vendor to your boss is totally inappropriate.  I'm sure he realizes that.  Thank you for alerting us Andree!  The company obviously knows little about how collection development works in the library world.

Secondly, am I missing something or does this database they are pushing of more interest to the business community rather than a library? I'm looking at the website and also the website for Oracle eBusiness Suite and do not see how this would be useful in an academic library.  The focus on the website seems to be directed to businesses (I can understand a corporate library utilizing this database or perhaps the school of business).  Someone on this list correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm not a business liaison at our school.

Thirdly, no means no, and you've given them a very good reason why you won't look at it (which I don't think you're obligated to do).

Beth

Beth M. Johns, MLIS
Electronic Resources Librarian
bmjohns@svsu.edu
Direct: 1-989-964-2158
Saginaw Valley State University

>>> Andree Rathemacher <andree@URI.EDU> 11/2/2007 11:14 am >>>
Dear business librarians and electronic resources librarians:

Has anyone had any experience with this vendor?

They have been calling and "insisting" that I evaluate their business
information database. I've never heard of them, and from their web site,
http://www.centium.net/about_us.html, it seems like they have only two
employees, and there is no evidence of any business information product on
offer.

Here at the University of Rhode Island, we have just cut $200,000 worth of
serials, and we are still looking at a $300,000 budget deficit and the
possibility of cutting reference databases. We have a list of business
databases from established companies like ProQuest, Hoovers, ValueLine, and
Standard and Poor's that our business faculty and students want but which we
cannot afford.

In any case, this (see below) is what happens when you tell them you are not
interested. Beware!

Just another company trying to feed at the trough of public university
funds, I guess.

andree

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>Subject: Complaint about a librarian
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>
>Dear David,
>
>It seems every time we attempt to send your librarian some material about
>our business database product we are always getting the "run around" ! I
>spoke with  Andrea on the telephone earlier today . She explained to be
>that they have budget problems. I told her that I would send her the
>information anyway to just evaluate the product. She said " I will look at
>the email and delete it".
>
>  I thought her JOB was to evaluate all resources for the library and not
>to ignore everything that comes to her way.  We would like for your
>librarians to keep the material that we send to them regardless of whether
>they purchase it or not . This is what the other subject librarians have
>said at other schools. They are keeping it for future reference.
>
>The only reason we telephoned your school is because we believe YOUR
>students can benefit from our database product since many students around
>the country are always expressing some interest in using our product either
>by telephone or email.
>
>I am quite unhappy at Andrea's extremely poor attitude. I'm not sure if
>this poor staff attitude and behavoir is representative at your library or
>not. Her attitude could really be subject to job termination since she's
>NOT performing her job properly. However, I can assure you that your
>students will be the ultimate loser because my company and corporate
>clients that we serve DO NOT have to hire graduates from the University of
>Rhode Island if you have staff members with this kind of attitude.
>Corporate America can hire and fire for good cause, bad cause, or no cause
>!
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Brian R.
>Centium, Inc.

--
Andree Rathemacher
Associate Professor
Head, Serials Unit
University Library, University of Rhode Island
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI  02881-2011
work: (401) 874-5096
fax: (401) 874-4608
e-mail: andree@uri.edu
e-mail: andree.rathemacher@gmail.com
http://www.uri.edu/library/