On the 5th March 98 I sent out a message via lis-link for any information
regarding the "outsourcing" of photocopying services. The idea was to find
any suppliers that would undertake: regular maintenance, fill paper trays,
toner replacement etc. relieving libray staff from these tasks.
Many thanks for your replies, although to be fair I had more requests
from other Libraries wanting a copy of the results of the survey than I
had in responses from libraries who had managed to outsource the service.
Some intitial points noted:-
1) a possible source of income generation is removed. This could be a
deciding factor if the library has to contribute something back to the
parent organization.
2) there are very few photocopier suppliers when you eliminate companies
that are really offshoots of a parent supplier!
3) it is very difficult to produce a service specification for tendering that
will take into account the environmental influences that can affect the
service eg. volume/demand peaks and troughs, location of machines, availability
of service (opening times of the library) etc. A suggestion that has been
put forward- likely suppliers should be asked to visit the library first
before any specification in drawn up. You can then explain your local
requirements and set the environment and see what the supplier thinks they
can offer.
4) An "outsourced service" means different things to different people.
Clearing a paper jam still seems to fall to library staff, filling up paper
trays were sometimes covered by suppliers and sometimes not.
responses:
There appear to be only 2 suppliers that offer an "outsourced" service and
and which are being used in the academic environment.
The tasks defined as part of the service appear to vary from institution
to institution and supplier to supplier..
Gestetner -used by the University Institute of Wales (Cardiff)
Institute of Commonwealth Studies (London)
seem to offer to supply, maintain, fill with paper, deal with toner
etc. will normal have an engineer on site the day a call is placed.
Rank Xerox - used by Trinity College, Dublin
Offer full services including filling/emptying card vending machines
counting and banking the money, weekly maintenance check and offer
a priority service around exams.
Other supplier names that have been mentioned are Oce, Danka, Ricoh but
I have been unable to establish if any academic institution use them
other than as suppliers of equipment with general maintenance.
No costs have been forthcoming and none expected. Negotiation on price for
the service is likely to be a one to one arrangement.
Carole Pickaver
Reader Services Librarian
Brunel University
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