Given the copy or key of an RLIN record, acquisitions staff can import a full record into a local database. The efficiency of order creation permits quicker and easier communication between selectors and support staff. In recent years, European vendors and libraries have started contributing their records to the RLG union catalog. Whatever use these records may serve for North American catalogers, they provide selectors with even more prompt notification of publications. Selectors no longer have to wait for other North American libraries to process their acquisitions.
Selections become more timely.
In addition, the vendor records invariably give prices, thus obviating another look-up in the country's equivalent of Books In Print . While these are potential alternatives to RLIN from the selector's point of view, none of them has yet to prove as reliable and as rapidly accessible as RLIN, in my experience.