The University of Florida Smathers Library bookstore

摘要

Like many academic libraries, the University of Florida Smathers Library held annual book sales to generate funds and reduce its stock of gift materials that were not selected for library collections. Instead of one-day sales that generated healthy profits but always left large proportions of unsold items, library administrators decided to open an experimental bookstore to sell year round the non-selected gift materials. This paper describes the specifics of how the author-the Gifts and Exchange Librarian-oversaw the opening of a used bookstore in the University of Florida Smathers Library. It also includes the results of a survey completed by staff at six other academic libraries operating bookstores. Based on the successful experiences of the Smathers Library Bookstore and the survey responses, the author concludes that bookstores can be an efficient and more profitable alternative to book sales for disposing of non-selected gift materials.