Many libraries and archives use vendors to meet their preservation needs, and in some circumstances, this may be the most sensible way to proceed. Vendor services include the binding of periodicals and monographs, microfilming, and certain forms of reprography. These are the services that lend themselves most easily to routine contract pricing and uniform handling. In many cases, the more routine and uniform the work, the more likely that vendors can perform it more cheaply and efficiently than the library. Why? Because of low vendor wages, capital investment in sophisticated high-production equipment, cheaper materials with high-volume purchasing, and the greater productivity that results from economies of scale.
Preservation functions typically performed in house by library and archive staff include standard care of collections, minor paper repair, replacement photocopy, binding preparation, simple pamphlet casing and paperback processing, microfilm preparation, and book repair. These functions are considered inappropriate for vendors for several reasons. Some sensible criteria can be applied to help you determine whether to use vendors.
Please click on the links below to view the criteria that help determine whether to use vendors.
