Document delivery from the library catalogue

[Mark Stover]

Anna Belle Leiserson is correct when she states that we don't have many
guidelines in this area (linking to Amazon from the library online catalog).
I don't think we can look to traditional library acquisitions practice for
these guidelines, since that's a whole different ballgame (but worthy of
discussion in a different thread).

There are a number of issues that come up here.  I'm glad that others have
raised these issues, because frankly I had not thought a lot about them
before this thread started.  What I did think about was making sure that I
was not breaking Amazon's user agreement for its Associates program.  But
the issue of giving an unfair advantage to one bookstore over another was
something that had not crossed my mind.  But now that I've had time to think
about it, here are my thoughts:

(1) "Let me tell you how it will be--There's one for you, nineteen for
me."--from The Taxman, by the Beatles.  
One earlier posting mentioned the possible pitfall of eating into the tax
base of a local municipality by pitting Amazon against local booksellers who
would generate local sales tax.  Public libraries may or may not have to
worry about this, but not being either a lawyer or a tax collector myself, I
really can't comment on this one.

(2) "Please Sir or Madam, will you read my book? It took me years to write,
won't you take a look?" --from Paperback Writer, by the Beatles. 
Is it illegal or unethical to "privilege" one online bookstore (in this
case, Amazon) over another? (since by linking to Amazon through our
Web-enabled online library catalog, we are implicitly recommending Amazon as
the online bookstore of choice).  I don't really think this is unethical
(although in the interest of fairness we *have* set up a link elsewhere on
our site that goes to Barnes and Noble), any more than it would be unethical
to set up links to any other Web site that happens to have competition.
(Would it be unethical to set up links to one document delivery source if we
happen to believe that they provide better service than another?).  But this
question is a good one since it goes to the heart of the nature of
librarianship.  By analogy, is "readers advisory" unethical if we recommend
one book over another?  Is collection development unethical since we
purchase one encyclopedia over another?  In the end, I think librarians
should try to be fair and balanced while at the same time feel the freedom
to acknowledge quality and a superior product.  There are certain things we
obviously can't do (like give medical or legal advice), since these areas
are generally governed by state licensing boards.  But I don't think linking
to online bookstores falls into this category.  

(3) "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." --The Bible.  
Are we falling prey to the vices of mammon by collecting a kickback from
Amazon when we link our library records to their bookstore.  Well, if we
were just in it for the money, and if we knew that Amazon provided
substandard services, then it might be unethical.  But we're not in it for
the money (what little there is so far), and we happen to think that Amazon
is providing a darn good service, so I don't think we have succumbed yet to
the dead presidents temptation. 

(4) "So sue me!"  --Guys and Dolls.
I guess litigation is just a reality in our society.  I suppose that we will
just have to live with the fact that Barnes and Noble is suing Amazon.com,
or that one of us (not me, I hope) will be sued because we linked to one
competitor over another.  But sometimes you just have to take action, damn
the torpedoes, full speed ahead!  If we stop providing links (to a willing
partner!) on our Web pages because we are afraid their competition is going
to sue us, then we have become (imho) overly cautious and indeed passive in
our approach to providing information resources.  I vote for the links, and
be as creative as possible!


Mark Stover




----------------------------

Mark Stover, Director of Library and Information Services
Phillips Graduate Institute, 5445 Balboa Blvd., Encino, CA 91316
Phone: 818/386-5641 / Fax:  818/386-5699 / email:  mstover at pgi.edu