General
A survey reported in 1973 of out-of-print dealers concermng common dealer practices and preferences (survey size: 54 dealers; responding: 22 or 40.7%) showed that 13 (59.1%) reported a book stock of less than 25,000 volumes, while “nearly 30%” reported a book stock of 50,000 volumes or more. (Source)
Ibid. . . . showed that (multiple responses allowed) the most commonly reported basis of assigning prices was book trade experience (reported by 19 or 86.4% respondents); “next in order” [no numbers given] were Bookman’s Price Index and American Book Prices Current. Only 1 major retrospective guide to book prices was mentioned, Wright Howes’s U.Siana (reported by 50% of the respondents). (Source)
Ibid. . . . showed that 4 categories of sales were ranked as follows by respondents from most important to least important:
1. catalog sales
2. want list sales
3. specific title requests
4. on-premises sales (Source)
Ibid. . . . showed that, based on responses from 15 respondents, 53% of the want list quotes were filled; based on responses from 12 respondents, on the average 58% of the items listed in a catalog were sold. Further, 5 respondents advised ordering from catalogs within 2 weeks of receipt, while 4 reported that ordering within a month was acceptable if a library wanted to have a good chance of getting a desired item. (Source)
Ibid. . . . showed that, based on responses from 5 respondents, 11.8% of the items in a catalog were sold within 1 week of issue, 26% of the items were sold within 2 weeks of issue, and 45% of the items were sold within 1 month of issue. (Source)
Academic
A survey reported in 1973 of U.S. and foreign out-of-print dealers concerning their practices (survey size: 286; responding: 157 or 54.9%, including 108 U.S. and 49 foreign dealers) by California State University, Northridge, showed that dealer methods for locating out-of-print books were as follows (multiple responses allowed):
supply from own stock 99 (92%) U.S.; 45 (92%) foreign
advertise 89 (82%) U.S.; 28 (57%) foreign
check other dealers’ catalogs 82 (76%) U.S.; 38 (78%) foreign
visit other dealers 82 (76%) U.S.; 32 (65%) foreign
contact other dealers by letter 68 (63%) U.S.; 31 (63%) foreign
Further, the most effective method reported by both U.S. (34 or 35%) and foreign (22 or 52%) dealers was supplying from own stock. (Source)
Ibid. . . . showed that 84 (82%) of the U.S. and 38 (83%) of the foreign dealers reported that they made more than 1 attempt to locate the titles on the university’s list. Of these 84 dealers, the length of time they continued to search was as follows:
indefinitely 42 (54%) U.S.; 22 (59%) foreign
2-5 years 4 ( 5%) U.S.; 5 (14%) foreign
1 year 18 (23%) U.S.; 3 ( 8%) foreign
6 months 10 (13%) U.S.; 3 ( 8%) foreign
1-3 months 4 ( 5%) U.S.; 4 (11%) foreign (Source)
