At first glance it might not seem important to libraries that many people now purchase books online, but given the recent discounting practices of the "big three" (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Book Stacks Unlimited) , small libraries who are not getting good discounts may wish to become online buyers. The Contributing Editor recently checked 50 titles against the offerings of all three companies and found that each had over 75 percent of the titles available for sameday shipment at prices 30 to 40 percent off list for hardcovers and 20 to 30 percent for paperbacks. Each of the three companies lists at least 400,000 titles on its site, therefore, the selection is much broader than today's best sellers. Book Stacks Unlimited, which offers the largest discounts, requires the payment of a membership fee-$29.95 to $69.95.
[Contact: www.amazon.com; www.barnesandnoble.com; or www.books.com.]
