---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1999 09:37:27 -0500
From: Penny Schroeder <pschroed@BOWDOIN.EDU>
Subject: Library Materials Price Index Committee request

        The Library Materials Price Index Committee of ALCTS is asking
users of its indexes published in the BOWKER ANNUAL LIBRARY AND BOOK
TRADE ALMANAC to help us gather information about the form and
usefulness of these statistical tools.  Based on Bowker's BOOKS IN PRINT
database, the U.S. indexes are about to change.  These alterations will
affect several of the indexes used by librarians to prepare their
budgets and manage collections' cost predictions.  First, the numbers of
titles in the book compilations will go up, because they will now be
based on all books published in the U.S.

        In the past BOOKS IN PRINT did not have agood subject
classification for titles of its own. Instead, it relied on the Library
of Congress' CIP program with its authoritative subject arrangement.
As a result of this reliance data was drawn only from those titles that
had been treated by CIP, i.e., approximately 50% of U.S. production.
With the advent of BISAC subject categories, Bowker can now use the
entire U.S. book publishing output.  Affected indexes will be U.S.
hardcover, U.S. mass market and U.S. trade books.  Next spring these
indexes will be published in both LC and BISAC subject arrangements
to test customer reaction to the BISAC subjects.

        The LMPIC would like to hear your reaction to this development
as well as other comments you might have re the indexes.  Are the
definitions of mass-market and trade paperbacks clear?  Are they
useful?
Do you use the information found in the imports and translations tables?
What would you think of breaking out fiction into even finer categories,
e.g., mystery, romance, western, etc?   Has your library compared its
actual pricing structure with its discounts, service charges and
shipping costs to the published index tables where these elements are
not included in the calculations?

        We appreciate any time you are able to devote to these questions
and welcome other comments you wish to make.  Please send them to:

Penny Schroeder, member Library Materials Price Index Committee
pschroed@bowdoin.edu
207/725-3134
FAX: 207/725-3083
Bowdoin College Library
3000 College Station
Brunswick, Maine 04011-8421

--
***********************************************

Penny Schroeder
Collection Management/Acquisitions Librarian
Bowdoin College Library
3000 College Station
Brunswick, Maine  04011-8421
Voice:(207) 725 3134
FAX: (207) 725-3083
pschroed@bowdoin.edu