Patent ID: 7827070

Claim:
A computerized method for assisting libraries and vendors with selection and acquisition of library collection items, comprising: (a) receiving at a library service computer from a plurality of libraries electronic library profile data comprising: (1) an identifier for at least one electronic mailbox for receiving vendor notification records, wherein each vendor notification record comprises bibliographic data for a bibliographic item offered for sale by a vendor; and (2) selection criteria associated with said electronic mailbox for routing said vendor notification records to said electronic mailbox; (b) storing said library profile data in a library profile database at said library service computer; (c) providing a plurality of vendors of bibliographic items with access to said library profile data; (d) receiving at said library service computer electronic notification items from said plurality of vendors, each of said notification items comprising: (1) identifying information for a vendor; and (2) bibliographic data for a bibliographic item offered for sale by said vendor to said plurality of libraries; (e) in response to said receiving at said library service computer electronic notification items from said plurality of vendors, automatically performing the following steps using a computer processor: (1) adding at said library service computer to a notification record for each of said notification items said identifying information for said vendor and said bibliographic data; (2) comparing at said library service computer said selection criteria for said electronic mailbox with said bibliographic data in each of said notification records; (3) in response to said bibliographic data matching said selection criteria, routing said notification records to said at least one electronic mailbox for each of said plurality of libraries; (f) providing at least one computer user for each of said plurality of libraries with a software application at said library service computer for: (1) reviewing said notification records in said electronic mailbox; and (2) selecting said notification records in said electronic mailbox for acquisition of a bibliographic item in said notification record; (g) receiving at said library service computer through said electronic mailboxes indicators for selected notification records; (h) exporting at said library service computer to an electronic mailbox for an acquisition staff member for each of said plurality of libraries said selected notification records for addition of items in said notification records to each of said plurality of libraries' holdings; and (i) adding records for items identified in said selected notification records to an integrated library system computer for each of said plurality of libraries.