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Your library profile is designed in a collaborative session, during a visit by our representatives. Prior to the visit we will provide you with profiling tools, including a list of Approval Publishers, a thesaurus of subject terms, and a description of our non-subject modifiers. We offer three options for subject profiling an LC Classification Thesaurus, NLM Classification Thesaurus, or the Blackwell Subject Thesaurus—all of which can be used in combination or individually.
For libraries whose collection policies, fund accounting and record-keeping needs suggest an LC-based profile, we provide our LC Classification Thesaurus.
For libraries whose collection policies, fund accounting and record-keeping needs suggest an NLM-based profile, we provide our NLM Classification Thesaurus.
Blackwell Subject Thesaurus offers maximum flexibility in all subject areas, since it allows the assignment of as many subjects as are needed to describe the contents of a complex or multidisciplinary title. Our Subject Thesaurus contains over 5,000 terms and is updated regularly to reflect new trends in publishing and advances in the world of knowledge.
Whether subject areas are defined by Blackwell subjects, NLM or by LC class or by a combination of the three, our non-subject modifiers help to define levels of collecting interest. Non-subject modifiers can, for instance, limit reprints, pamphlets, and popular biographies to slips coverage, while excluding musical scores and journal monographs altogether.
Most library profiles consist of a number of sub-profiles, which often refer to specific subject areas, fund accounts, or bibliographers. Each sub-profile can be as detailed, or as simple, as your needs dictate. Conversely, non-subject modifiers can be used to create very broad sub-profiles in special area studies, for instance, offering coverage of titles in any subject area so long as they concern a specific country, region, or state. Subject and non-subject criteria can be combined to pinpoint elusive collection interests, such as all art titles with a political slant.
Blackwell goal with our approval plans is to let you articulate specific and individual collection needs while working with our experienced and knowledgeable representatives. The flexibility of our profiling system allows us to custom-design a profile of collection interests. Once a new profile is established, within one week you are able to review any profile activity online. Books will arrive in your library within two weeks after that notification.
As part of the profiling process, you may want to consult Blackwell Cost and Coverage Study regarding numbers and cost of titles published each year. The cost and coverage study will give you an aggregate number of titles published in a discipine in a year, it may help you decide on setting price points in specific disciplines. Blackwell will prepare a cost estimate report, specifically for your library before a new profile becomes active, showing what you would have received had that profile been in effect over the past year. Using the cost estimate, you can make profile adjustments until approval coverage is comfortably in line with your approval budget. Additionally, because cost estimates give a detailed picture of coverage by sub-profile (fund code, subject area, or bibliographer) as well as total coverage, you can see whether the percentage of expenditures allocated to each area is as expected.
We encourage profile adjustments as often as needed. Most profile changes will be implemented within three working days from receipt, and, again, the results will appear in library shipments within two weeks. Profile changes can be sent to your Regional Sales Manager or your Approval Account Coordinator by letter, phone, fax, mail, or email. Whenever a profile is changed, we will send you a confirmation letter and two copies of the revised profile, if you desire them. Your profile can also be reviewed online in Blackell’s Collection Manager.
If you have made substantial profile changes, a new cost estimate can be produced to show the effect on your projected coverage.
New approval libraries often appreciate a weekly listing of titles which did NOT match their Approval profile. If the listing shows a number of titles the library would have liked to review, we can easily modify the profile to cover them. A book sales and returns report details titles sent, returned, returns percentage, and net titles kept. This report can tabulate by LC class or Blackwell subject, library sub-profile, or publisher. Using this report can help you easily pinpoint high return areas and make profile modifications. Additionally, our approval staff monitors your individual returns and will be happy to make suggestions for profile revisions if you experience high returns in a particular area. A forms usage analysis report details announcments sent, orders returned, and percentage of titles ordered–either by LC class or by Blackwell subject area. With this report, book purchasing patterns can be identified and corresponding areas can be switched from slip to book coverage.
When you have placed standing orders with Blackwell, those series are automatically excluded from approval coverage. If you provide us with a list of series you do not want us to cover either because you receive them directly from the publisher or from another vendor, or because the entire series is not suitable for your collection we can enter “Do Not Send” instructions.
All books shipped on an approval program are accompanied by multi-part bibliographic slips. The slips display author, title, publisher, imprint year, place of publication, edition, series, ISBN, and LCCN. Library-specific order numbers, department, or fund codes may appear if you choose. Each slip is inserted in the appropriate book.
Invoices are arranged to your library’s specifications and accompany each shipment.
Approval books are billed and shipped weekly. They arrive at your library separate from other book shipments and are labeled APPROVAL.
All titles supplied on approval are returnable without permission. Returns must be received by Blackwell within 60 days of invoice date and must be in saleable and unmarked condition. All returns must quote the original invoice number and the reason for return.
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