Why you should purchase your EBL titles through James Bennett

As the first — and most experienced — EBL provider in Australia, we deliver EBL titles in the shortest and most efficient timeframes for libraries and their patrons. Here are just some of the reasons for choosing to purchase EBL titles through James Bennett:

• One single, familiar acquisitions workflow for both print and electronic materials
• You receive James Bennett invoices in Australian dollars (or your preferred currency)
• We are currently integrating ebooks into our New Title Services
• We deal direct with EBL on your behalf if you have questions about technical matters or licensing
• You can use JBO to see acquisitions information on all your purchases, whether they are print format or ebooks 
• Separate accounts may be set-up to track ordering, invoicing, and selection method (short term loans, demand driven selection, and standard ordering or non-linear lending)

Contact our eResources team today for a brochure on EBL workflows through James Bennett.  We've been partnering with EBL a long time and are still the most experienced of the library vendors in the ANZ marketplace. Go with a vendor you trust.  Contact James Bennett today:

Tel: +61 2 8988 5000
Fax: +61 2 8988 5031
Email: eresources@bennett.com.au

Want to know more about using James Bennett as your print, digital and multimedia library vendor?  Click here for 10 reasons why.  If you want to add to the list, feel free to do so.  We've worked in library supplies since the 1960s and work with public, academic, specialist, government and reference libraries.  There's a reason why we are the leading supplier in the ANZ marketplace.  Use us to find out why!

Staff Focus - Profiling & Selection Executive

Focus On......

This month's Bennett Blurb focuses on Profiling & Selection.  Whether you are a public, academic, specialist or government library, James Bennett can assist with all your collection development needs.  Need support with subject profiles? Opening Day Collections? Spending funds?  In a nutshell, we have the service - and the experience - you need.

One of our most experienced staff is Julie Buckroyd, Profiling & Selection Executive.  She answered some general questions in the Bennett Blurb but she also allowed us to do our own profile of her, here in The Bennett Blog.  How did she get to where she is now? What makes her tick?  Read on and discover for yourself.

Name: Julie Buckroyd
Position: Profiling & Selection Executive

When did you start at James Bennett? 6/6/1994.  D-Day.  (I don't know if that was significant!)

What roles have you had in your 17 years with James Bennett? I started in the Kit area and moved to the Allocation area.  Now all the New Title areas have combined under me!

Describe your job: My role is extremely busy, but very rewarding. Overseeing a team of people and ensuring we have the best coverage of New Titles in all areas and in a timely manner. Making sure that our customer’s profiles are offering them the most appropriate titles. Always looking at the best workflows within the team to make sure that we are covering all the titles that we can and should be.
What do you enjoy most about your job? It is always changing!
Describe James Bennett (as an organisation) in a few words: Dynamic, Local, Knowledgeable 
What would you like customers to know about the work you do? We work hard to ensure full coverage on your profile. We have a great system now that has enabled us to have a better matching and non subject coverage. But the real work happens when the team “find” the first available, or be the first to let you know about a forthcoming best seller. 
What are the challenges you are facing? Local offices of international publishers. Bringing out titles here in Australia months after the US or UK release, and inflating the prices. There have been improvements but we spot every title that doesn't meet our customer's requirements.  And we have to review each and make the best buying decision for our library.
What gets you excited about your day? Waking up! Seriously you can’t make plans about how your day will go, as it will always change.   
What books do you like to read? True crime, crime fiction, and biographies 
Do you have a favourite author?  It changes with every book I read but Jodi Picoult stays there at the top. 
Last book you read? Violent Exposure by Katherine Howell 
Currently reading? The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez. 
On the reading wishlist? Probably Cloudstreet so I can make more sense out of the mini series!

If Customers are considering Profiling & Selection Services what are the things they need to consider?  What they will do with their spare time!  (laughs)  No the main things are: what sort of areas they are interested in. Should I just start with an author profile and build up to a full profile? How much money should I commit to Profiling? Do I need to know expenditure in certain areas ie: Adult Non Fiction, Adult Fiction or just overall expenditure?  There's lots of questions but we can assist them along the way.

And if they have any further questions?  Contact me or their sales representative.  


What staff member would you like to see a Focus On here on the Bennett Blog or in our newsletter service?  Contact Marketing on jbmarketing@bennett.com.au and we'll see what we can do!

Library & Information Week

Congratulations to all librarians - this is your week!  

We so love the tagline this year: "We Find Stuff".  It says it all really.  We read somewhere it was considered controversial, which was a little surprising.  Isn't that what you do?!!  You find stuff, you catalogue stuff, you look up stuff, you research stuff, you know stuff!  What an amazing thing you do.

We were reminded of the important role librarians play when we came across a wonderful website recently that had gift ideas for librarians.  No doubt many of our customers will have already discovered it (afterall, you "find stuff"!) but the reason we mention it here is the fun t-shirt and other promotional items they had listed that said "Librarian: the original search engine".  The word itself was often made to look like the Google logo.  Clever.  But true wouldn't you say?!

We also liked "be nice to your librarian, it could mean the difference between a right and wrong answer" and we couldn't help chuckling at "Librarian by Day, Deadly Ninja by Night".  Needless to say, a wide range of materials were on offer and there's many more sayings we could share with you, but we digress.

It's Library & Information Week.  And as Australia's largest and leading library supplier to public, academic, specialist, government and reference libraries, we're celebrating with you.  Afterall, as your support network, don't we help you "find stuff" or at least source the raw materials on your behalf?  We work with thousands of suppliers locally and internationally and sometimes we know what it's like to be finding a needle in a haystack.  But we do it.  You expect it of us.  And together we can put the workflows and systems in place that help you "find stuff" for your patrons every day.

Library and information services are important to us.  And we are here to support your efforts.  Tell us about what you're doing.  If you're on Facebook, Twitter or here on Blogger, link your site to us.  And that goes for our publishing partners too.  We're all in this industry together, let's have some fun, share the joy of reading, spread the word about our products and services, and ensure future generations love books, their libraries and the world in which they live. 

WIN LIBRARY SCIENCE BOOKS THIS WEEK!

For those of you reading this blog during Library and Information Week 23 - 29 May 2011 click on our Facebook page, follow us, and comment on our Library & Information Week post by telling us What Library & Information Week means to you.  The winning entry will receive $200 worth of nominated library science books from Facet Publishing, Libraries Unlimited, ALA, Neal Schuman - thanks to our Inbooks business unit, also proudly supporting Library and Information Week.  The winner will be announced the following week and naturally some conditions apply.  Make sure you let us know what library you are from when you comment and keep an eye on those Facebook feeds for news on this and many more promotions from James Bennett.

Read it! Love it? Add Christine Stinson to your James Bennett profile

The first book on the new James Bennett Read it, Love it, Add it to Your Profile service is Christine Stinson's It Takes A Village.  It's also our Book of the Month for May. 

Christine Stinson's second book, it is an absorbing, witty coming-of-age story set in postwar Sydney.  And we loved it.

Published by Pan Macmillan Australia this month, we found it to be very Maeve Binchy-esque in the way it explores community and family.  A perfect read for many of your library patrons.

We're introduced to Sophie Barton when she's eight years old.  It's the spring of 1952 and she's just been told she's a "bastard".  Who is her father and why did her mother never tell anyone who he was?  Sophie is being raised by her reclusive grandfather and a wonderful community of Australian characters, many of whom we'd recognise from our own upbringing.  Compared to today, post-war Australia was a much simpler time - but not for our Sophie.  Life is full of complications.  She gets into all scrapes and along the way she learns about herself, her family, and the agony and ectasy of falling in love.

"Sophie wasn't sure why catching a husband was so important but a lot of grown-up people seemed to think that it was.  Just the other week she'd heard Mick's mother and Mrs Salter talking about how Shirley Harris was out to catch herself one.  The two ladies had been standing on the footpath outside of Mick's house; they didn't see Sophie but she'd been able to hear them from Grandpa's front porch.  Shirley Harris was the new girl Mr and Mrs Carmichael had hired to help them in their chemist shop.  Sophie had seen her when she went in to pick up some things for Mrs Hogan and she'd thought Shirley Harris was beautiful, almost as beautiful as Angela Dimarco, Luc's older sister.  But Sophie's neighbours didn't seem to think much of Shirley Harris at all."

We shouldn't give too much away but you'll enjoy reading about Sophie, Mick, Mrs Hogan, Luc and all the wonderful characters that Christine Stinson brings to life in this book - you'll have to experience that pleasure all for yourself. 

In a time when experiences are shared around the kitchen table, over the back fence or up at the corner shop, Sophie learns that life is rarely simple, love is always complicated and sometimes it takes more than blood ties to make a family.

Check out a copy at your local library today.

About Christine Stinson

Christine is a former language teacher who has been making up stories for as long as she can remember.  Her first novel Getting Even with Fran, was also published by Pan Macmillan Australia.  She is currently working on her third novel, Epiphany and lives in Pymble, Sydney.  You can find out more about Christine Stinson on her website: http://www.christinestinson.com/

Read it Love it Add it to Your Profile

We'd like to add Christine Stinson to the profiles of all libraries using our Profiling & Selection Services. Make sure you've got a copy of It Takes a Village on order through James Bennett and then contact jbmarketing@bennett.com.au to add Christine to your profiled orders.  We'll ensure all future books from this talented author are then sent to you on publication.

It Takes A Village 

ISBN 9781405040273

ARP $32.99 - usual library discounts apply

Order your copies today on JBO, contact your Customer Co-ordinator on (02) 8988 5000, fax your order to (02) 8988 5090 or email info@bennett.com.au 

Keesing's World News Archive: providing your library with a trusted comprehensive source for research and fact checking

James Bennett is pleased to announce that Keesing's World News Archive has been added to the eResources stable.

Scholars and librarians agree that Keesing’s World News Archive is the most efficient  and cost effective way to research world events. Published since 1931, Keesing’s has been serving scholars, students, writers and reference librarians with factual information on the most important political, social and economic events by providing carefully vetted, accurate, objective and concise reports from every part of the world.  

  

Written for the permanent record and with no political or advertising masters to appease, Keesing’s is a uniquely neutral and accurate source of information. Keesing’s is used in more than 80 countries by academics, businesses and governments seeking to get quick access to important historical background. The entire 80 year, 100,000+ article archive is available with either an annual or perpetual license. And it’s updated each month with more than 55,000 words in at least 150 articles. 

IN RESEARCHING THE NEWS AND IN WRITING THEIR ARTICLES THEY ARE GUIDED BY FOUR ESSENTIAL EDITORIAL PRINCIPLES:

• Internationalism: Keesing’s is committed to providing comprehensive information on all regions of the world, covering all major developments in all countries.
• Accuracy: their reputation for accuracy, preserved and nurtured since Keesing's was first published in 1931, is their greatest asset. They work with the benefit of greater hindsight than that enjoyed by newspapers or the electronic media and thus have more time for checking facts and authenticating information.
• Objectivity: Keesing’s aim to be as objective as is humanly possible. They do not editorialise and they do not pass judgement upon the events which they record. The organisation is totally independent, with no political agenda to promote and no external commercial interests to placate.
• Permanence: Keesing’s is not producing disposable news. They are writing "for the record", and thereby providing a "first take on history". They do not sensationalise or distort for the sake of creating a eye-catching headline. Their aim is to establish the truth, to present it clearly, and to preserve it for future generations of researchers. 

The result of this process is that the Keesing's World News Archive contains a wealth of hard information: news upon which you can rely.

We are delighted to represent this product in the Australasian marketplace so if you would like to set up a 30 day FREE trial for Keesing's please contact our e-team on eresources@bennett.com.au

If you would like to keep up-to-date on new e-Resources via email, please send your contact details and subject interests to jbmarketing@bennett.com.au 

We look forward to being of service to your library.

Help your library deliver new services and remain relevant in the digital age

The Tech Set, created and edited by Ellyssa Kroski and co-published by Facet Publishing and Neal-Schuman Publishers, was recently awarded the 2011 Greenwood Publishing Group Award for Best Book in Library Literature by the American Library Association. As per the press release from CILIP the Award committee praised the “creative, innovate approach” of this ten-volume set that shows librarians how to employ new technologies to create, deliver, and market new user services.

Covering topics such as social networking, mobile technologies, blogging, webcasts, gaming, and other current technologies that aid and improve libraries, each book is supported with an author wiki containing new advice and recommended resources and a podcast where authors discuss their books, current research, and the latest developments in their fields.

These practical, fast-paced guides will have librarians ready to implement all the essential technologies and tools they need to deliver outstanding new services and remain relevant in the digital age.

 

A full list of titles is provided here:

Next-Gen Library Catalogs  Marshall Breeding
Today’s web-savvy users often bypass traditional library catalogues for more interactive, tech-friendly interfaces. Help your library stand out within the crowded landscape of information providers with this new, highly practical guide to interactive next generation library catalogues. ISBN: 9781856047210

Mobile Technology and Libraries  Jason Griffey
Mobile technology is fast becoming the preferred method for connecting to the Internet. Librarians must keep pace with this trend and integrate themselves into the mobile realm if they wish to deliver enhanced user services. This is a practical, easy-to-follow new resource that will walk you through the start-to-finish steps for strengthening your library’s mobile presence. ISBN: 9781856047227

Microblogging and Lifestreaming in Libraries  Robin M Hastings
Microblogging and lifestreaming applications like Twitter, Tumblr, and FriendFeed are all around you and your users in everyday life. This is a practical primer to help any library transform these cuttingedge, budget-friendly services into highly effective professional tools. ISBN: 9781856047234

Library Videos and Webcasts   Sean Robinson
Online video and imaging software gives you the opportunity to communicate with your library users 24/7—but getting started can be intimidating. This book has the building blocks you need to effectively, affordably, and easily create and broadcast highquality webcasts to your library users, staff and the social networking sites beyond.  ISBN: 9781856047241
 
Wikis for Libraries  Lauren Pressley
Wikis have emerged as powerful platforms for facilitating and improving communication and collaboration between library staff, users, and professional peers. Whether you are a wiki novice or a seasoned pro, this book will enable you to build wikis to support special events, serve as a library instruction tool, create valuable online resources—to name a few applications of this popular collaboration tool. ISBN: 9781856047258

Technology Training in Libraries   Sarah Houghton-Jan
Your library plays a crucial role as your community’s epicentre for technology whether you provide skill building resources, free access to the Web, or both. To deliver top service to your web-savvy users, you and your staff must stay up-to-date with the latest technology skills and trends. This book presents practical guidance so you can implement a low-cost, comprehensive staff technology training program. ISBN: 9781856047265

A Social Networking Primer for Libraries  Cliff Landis
Social networking is rapidly infiltrating the information environment, and it is essential that librarians understand how best to use these sites and tools with their work to better serve their users and reach people who have never before used the library. This book provides easy-to-follow guidelines for using MySpace, Facebook, and other prominent sites as a way to expand and improve crucial library functions. ISBN: 9781856047272

Library Camps and Unconferences  Steve Lawson
More and more libraries are working to organise their own library camps or ‘unconferences’ - open, friendly and refreshingly informal gatherings for librarians to unite, exchange ideas, and share knowledge. This book provides you with the guidance you need to bring your vision of organising a library camp to life. ISBN: 9781856047289

Gaming in Libraries   Kelly Czarnecki
Whether gaming is already a crucial part of your library’s core services or it’s only just been introduced, this do-it-yourself new resource will give you the practical tools you need to organise, implement, and market successful gaming events for users of all ages. ISBN: 9781856047296

Effective Blogging for Libraries   Connie Crosby
Renowned library blogger, speaker, and educator Connie Crosby shares her experience and expertise in this step-by-step guide to successful library blogging. This is the go-to resource for any librarian in search of practical, easy-to-implement instruction for creating and managing a winning library blog. ISBN: 9781856047302

The Complete 10 Volume Set (ISBN 9781856047777) is currently on campaign. Libraries please login to JBO today to see our special price which is valid until the 31st May 2011.  Order today and take advantage of these great savings.   



Tel:  (02) 8988 5000
Fax: (02) 8988 5031
Email: info@bennett.com.au


Don't have an account with James Bennett and would like to place a credit card order?  Please email orders@inbooks.com.au and let them know you've seen this on the James Bennett blog or quote reference TECHSET11 for your discounted price.

Ever had a product you can't get enough of?

...well for James Bennett staff, that product is Library PressDisplay.  We've been representing it for several years now and it's been a winner on soo many levels.  Firstly the product is great.  We'll tell you about that in a minute.  The service has been excellent.  Our account manager at Library PressDisplay is reliable, helpful and supportive of our business.  We feel like it's a team effort and we're very proud to be representing Library PressDisplay in the ANZ marketplace.  

There's something very special about having a wonderful relationship with a supplier.  Our Publisher Relations & Marketing Communications Manager, Rachael McDiarmid recently said "we work with thousands, if not tens of thousands of suppliers on a regular basis.  There's nothing better than having one that works with you and is aware of the service level expectations of your customers.  PressDisplay is definitely one of those suppliers.  It's a must-have product for libraries and the service from them todate has been nothing short of exceptional. I can't recommend them highly enough."  

So, what exactly is Library PressDisplay?

More than 1700 newspapers from 92 countries in 48 languages

Library PressDisplay is a web-based portal which provides anyone, from the casual reader to the formal researcher, access to over 1700 newspapers and magazines from more than 92 countries in 48 languages. The easy-to-use interface allows patrons to access the most current editions of international and local newspapers and magazines. Your patrons can search any newspaper, use instant translation, select articles in a table of contents and share them with other patrons.

Library PressDisplay automatically allows you to serve a wider audience with a variety of newspapers and magazines, complemented with a variety of digital tools, accessible from home or within your library. No installation of any software or plug-in software is required. The product would saves delivery costs of print subscriptions, staff resources and shelving space.

Interested?  You can contact your sales executive or you can email the dedicated eResources team at James Bennett on eresources@bennett.com.au   We're more than happy to answer any of your Library PressDisplay enquiries and to set you up on a free 30 day trial.  Contact us today!

Reasons to choose James Bennett as your vendor of choice

Are you looking for a new supplier to manage the acquisition needs of your library?


Here are 10 reasons to choose James Bennett as your vendor of choice:

• Global reach—local service
• Competitive and flexible terms for customers
• Speed of supply—the right book at the right price in the quickest timeframe
• Expertise in working collaboratively with libraries on profiling & selection services
• Single representation for consistency and knowledge of your library workflows
• Proven track record in workflow development and liaising with libraries to streamline their supply chain
• Full service supplier
• Experienced and professional staff
• No compromise in quality, range, or price
• WE AIM TO REDUCE YOUR ACQUISITION COSTS

Contact us today to see how the services we offer will help you meet your collection development needs.

Tel: (02) 8988 5000 or email: info@bennett.com.au



In a future edition of The Bennett Blog we're going to share some information about our Profiling & Selection Services.  Profiling and selection is the fastest growing part of our business, particularly in public libraries, and our new system JBS has been custom-built with library requirements in mind.   We look forward to telling you all about it!

Welcome

I'm the first to admit it.  I never thought we would have a company blog.  What message do we want to send?  Will anyone read it?  Is it an appropriate forum to engage our customers?  What about our suppliers - is this something that publishers will embrace?

In this digital world, all businesses are supposed to have an online presence.  I took this to mean a website, and more importantly for our customers, JBO - our online selection and acquisition interface.  Anything other than the primary services to our customers was not high on my priority list.  Yet here we are.  We have The Bennett Blog.  We're also now on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook so if you use these sites for business communications please "follow" or "like" us to stay up-to-date with news, special promotions and other offers.
 
Do we have a message that is relevant to all those we have the privilege of doing business with?  Well the answer is a resounding YES.  Afterall James Bennett has been recognised as an industry leader by many in the publishing and bookselling world.  We have staff who are incredibly knowledgeable on all parts of the supply chain, particularly ebooks and digital reference.  We have a stable Management Team who continue to lead the organisation through an ever-changing industry.  Our sales representatives, profiling & selection staff, and operations people work hard to deliver a uniquely James Bennett service that supports the acquisition needs of our customer base.  And our customer service staff receive more accolades than we sometimes know what to do with!  In a nutshell: we know our business, we know our industry.  It's a continually changing world out there.  And we have much to share with you.

So where do we go from here?  The first thing is to have someone look at the broader communications plan.  I've already appointed an experienced marketing communications champion to look at relevant subject matters, the timing, the delivery mechanisms.  We're excited about new product offers, eResources, business developments and how the James Bennett business will deliver new and competitive services in the year ahead.

As always, let us know your expectations.  How would you like to engage with us?  We've been partners for many years.  Let's take it to another level.

Chris von Hinckeldey
Managing Director