Baker & Taylor, Branch District Library's primary vendor for purchasing books, shared that it will soon cease operations after more than 200 years in business. This sudden change is impacting thousands of libraries across the country, including ours.
As a result of their closure, we are transitioning our book ordering and processing to another vendor, Ingram, that we’ve worked with for several years. We anticipate that this shift will temporarily affect how quickly newly published books reach our shelves and interfere with some holds. You may have already noticed these effects.
You might wonder why the library doesn’t just order books from Amazon. While Amazon is convenient for personal purchases, libraries have unique needs. We order most of our materials through trusted library vendors who provide discounts that help us stretch our budget, offer high-quality editions made to withstand heavy use, and include cataloging and processing so items arrive shelf-ready. Library vendors understand our needs, from standing orders to replacement copies, and provide consistent, reliable customer service tailored to libraries. That said, we do occasionally use Amazon. For example, when a title isn’t available through our vendors or when we need something quickly.
What this means for you:
- You may notice delays of up to 3-4 weeks for new books during the transition period.
- Popular titles may not be available on their official release dates as we work to reorder materials.
Library staff are working behind the scenes to minimize effects on patrons and make sure you continue getting the books you love in a timely manner. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this change together.
