We're thinking about doing this. All I've seen in the list archives is a
now-dead link to a story in the Philadelphia paper.
We would only be selling gift duplicates-- we have no intention of
deaccessioning any of the items in our collections to sell them! But we
do not need unlimited numbers of multiple copies, even of collectible
Western Americana. At present some people (frequently local booksellers)
get really good buys on some of these at our Friends of the Library
booksales. The most valuable items we hold out for sale to dealers, but
I'm pretty sure that we could get a lot more for some items on eBay than
dealers can afford to pay for books they intend to resell.
But our business office would like to see some evidence that other
academic libraries are doing this, if any one is. Any other comments are
welcome also. I've been on eBay as a personal buyer for several years,
and I think I have a fairly good handle on how to get top dollar from
bidders and avoid shill bidding and other bidding fraud.
--Chris
Christopher G. Mullin mullin@selway.umt.edu | I buy good
Special Collections Librarian 406-243-4036 (voice mail) | regular-8mm
University of Montana 406-243-2060 (fax) | movie stuff
Missoula, MT 59812 Who else has *these* opinions--not UM!