Write a short paper (2-3 pages), plus an annotated bibliography, on what you would do in the following situation (Make sure to do research to find out what the thoughts of others in the field are about the issues raised

Sara Metcalfe

ILS 519 - Acquisitions

Librarians have always been concerned about being ethical, and setting good examples for others to follow. They have their Library Bill of Rights , the Code of Ethics, and every subgroup within the American Library Association has a statement on ethics. The ethical dilemma of whether or not to accept gifts from vendors is a long standing issue. There has been much discussion among professional library organizations, on listerves and within libraries on how the library world should handle the problem. There are many opinions “floating around” out there in various forms of media.

The issue sounds very unethical, however, everyone accepts gifts from their vendors at one time or another. On a personal level, I look forward to the Christmas season, when some of our vendors pay us surprise visits with boxes of Lindt chocolates. On the other hand, to show some of our vendors, or the staff that work for them, how much we appreciate what they have done for us, I will purchase them boxes of chocolates for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc. Being a level headed person, these bribes mean nothing more to me than free, good quality chocolate. I am more interested in the services the various vendors offer me, and the quality in which they do it. If that quality starts to suffer, all the chocolate in the world is not going to persuade me to keep them. I have no qualms about letting them go, and finding someone new. However, not everyone is going to think that logically through the situation. For this very reason, policies may need to be developed by each individual library.

In my research, I found a very interesting thread from a listserv on this very topic. The two Acquisitions Librarians who responded to the question, offer very liberal views on the subject:

“Your question, as it's phrased, presumes that taking customers out to dinner actually does affect purchasing decisions -- but the ethics question really hinges on whether that's the case or not. As someone who has worked on both sides of the "wining and dining" equation, I'm not at all convinced that it is. For one thing, taking customers out to dinner is so common that any competitive effect is going to be negligible -- it may help build good will, but it won't set you apart from the pack as a vendor. But some institutions have strict regulations about such activities.” [1]

“As far as I am concerned, most of the wining and dining that takes place is with vendors we already patronize. I take it as an expression of appreciation for the business we send their way, rather than as a bribe. When dining with a vendor we do not patronize, we don't talk business during the meal (usually this will have been done beforehand). Such socializing does not influence me one way or another. I base our vendor activity on service, discount, and available dollars, not on whether someone buys me a nice lunch. Perhaps some vendors feel that wining and dining will serve as an expression of their good will and thereby provide an inducement to do business with them. Nice try, but it doesn't work. If I felt that a vendor were really trying to buy my business, I would decline the invitation.” [2]

I believe the opinions of these Acquisition Librarians, are the same sentiment shared my the majority of librarians. When dealing on an almost daily basis with some vendors, you begin to establish a more familiar relationship with them. This relationship sometimes blurs that fine line between what is and is not an appropriate vendor / client relationship. On the other hand, this familiar and comfortable relationship can also benefit the institution. Karen Schneider, in her article titled “Love Your Online Vendor”, stresses the fact that:

“I know they probably didn’t teach you this in library school, but vendor relations are the

most important part of collection development.” [3]

Through these informal meetings, the vendor may get a better sense of the needs of a particular institution.

This very same issue was discussed at a 1992 American Library Association Midwinter Conference. The discussion was summarized in one of the following issues of Serials Review. The feeling of many librarians who took part in the discussion was that they could not be bought, and that on occasion, the librarians had treated the vendors to dinner out of their own pockets. The vendors stated that there is much less pressure on them from their supervisors to “make the sale” with these dinners, and freebees. They are seen more as an expression of thanks. Due to the contentious nature of this issue, no consensus was reached. Out of this discussion, came a document from The Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) titled “Statement on Principles and Standards of Acquisitions Process”. It was approved on February 7, 1994 at the Midwinter Meeting of the ALCTS Acquisitions Section. It offers the following guidelines on the issue of vendor relationships:

3. grants all competing vendors equal consideration insofar as the established policies of

his or her library permit, and regards each transaction on its own merits;

4. subscribes to and works for honesty, truth, and fairness in buying and selling, and

denounces all forms and manifestations of bribery;

5. declines personal gifts and gratuities;

8. fosters and promotes fair, ethical, and legal trade practices;

Various libraries have begun to draft their collection development policies on the web. Many of these policies include a section on vendor relations, and what is and is not appropriate behavior by their staff and the vendors. One may consider following the model set by the Library of Congress. Though their policies are overseen by the United States Government , they offer a very clear and concise policy on their business ethics:

We are also committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct in all of our business dealings. Under government-wide regulations issued by the Office of Government Ethics, our employees are prohibited from accepting gifts or gratuities from our suppliers or from persons seeking contracts or other types of business. While these rules do allow for limited exceptions for items of nominal value, the offer or acceptance of gifts is inappropriate and discouraged, even if such practices are customary in the commercial world. [4]

The Library of Congress also uses the “Statement on Principles and Standards of Acquisitions Process”, and quote some of those on their website.

After reviewing all of the documentation, my advice as Head of Acquisitions to the Library Director would be to leave the issue up to each individual librarian. I believe the final answer to this question is very personal, and one that each individual library needs to decided. The library director, or the person making the decision as to whether or not to enforce such a policy, needs to take all of the personalities into account. However, if the institution the library belongs to has such a policy in place, then the Library Director may have to defer to those rules that have already been established. As for the issue of providing a stipend for food, I believe it should still be given for the very reasons listed in the midterm assignment. The librarians are going to need money for transportation, tipping bellhops, etc., and buying meals (other than the ones the vendors have promised them).

For the most part, the majority of librarians are going think rationally about this issue, and will likely choose their dinner partners wisely. They will, most likely, only dine with those vendors they are familiar with and work with on a daily basis. Like the librarians quoted above from the listserv discussion, I have had similar experiences with vendors. The dinners have been very informal, and a chance for both parties to really get to know each other. Very rarely has the conversation included “shop talk”. And when it has, it has always been with the best interest of the library in mind. The “shop talk” has always benefited the library, as the vendor has gotten a better sense of the library’s needs.

I would suggest that an agreement be drafted for all employees attending conferences, stating that though there is no policy on accepting gifts from vendors, the librarian will use their best judgement when accepting the offer, and will not reveal confidential library information to the vendor. A workshop or discussion on the libraries policy with the staff may also be effective in alerting them to this issue, and making them think before they accept these gifts. After all, if we are not going to allow our staff to accept gifts from vendors, perhaps we should ask them to refrain from picking up all of the “freebees” offered to them at library conventions.

Anderson, Rick. “Re: Acquisitions ethics” Online posting. 3 March, 1998. ACQNET.

<http://webdoc.gwdg.de/edoc/aw/acqnet/acqnet-v8n009.txt>

Barker, Joseph W. “ALCTS ALMS Acquisitions” Serials Review. 18.1/2 (1992): 142-143.

Contracts and Logistics Services: Vendor Information. Section 3: How to market to us.

Library of Congress. 2 March 2002 < http://www.loc.gov/contracts/section3.html>

Hannabuss, Stuart. “Teaching Library and Information Ethics”. Library Management. 17.2

(1996): 24-35.

Mack, Helen P. “Re: Acquisitions ethics” Online posting. 3 March, 1998. ACQNET.

<http://webdoc.gwdg.de/edoc/aw/acqnet/acqnet-v8n009.txt>

Schneider, Karen G. “Love Your Online Vendor.” American Libraries. February 1997: 86.

Statement on Principles and Standards of Acquisitions Process. American Library Association:

Association for Library Collections and Technical Services Acquisitions Collections.

2 March 2002 <http://www.ala.org/alcts/publications/ethics/aesthics.html>

Taylor, Donald. “ Standards Collection Development in an Academic Library”. Collection

Building. 18.4 (1999): 148-152.

Walther, James H. “Assessing Library Vendor Relations: A Focus on Evaluation and

Communication.” The Bottom Line: Library Finances. 11.4 (1998): 149-157.

[1] Rick Anderson. “Re: Acquisitions ethics” Online posting. 3 March, 1998. ACQNET. <http://webdoc.gwdg.de/edoc/aw/acqnet/acqnet-v8n009.txt>

[2] Helen P. Mack. “Re: Acquisitions ethics” Online posting. 3 March, 1998. ACQNET. <http://webdoc.gwdg.de/edoc/aw/acqnet/acqnet-v8n009.txt>

[3] Karen G. Schneider. “Love Your Online Vendor.” American Libraries February 1997: 86.

[4] Library of Congress. Contracts and Logistics Services: Vendor Information. Section 3: How to market to us.

2 March 2002 < http://www.loc.gov/contracts/section3.html>