Indian book industry is a colossus, a giant -- though largely unorganized, as it often happens in a developing country. With 40,000 odd publishers: commercial and non-commercial -- scattered all across the subcontinent, India produces every year about 7,000 books/monographs of academic interest in English language alone, besides many-times-more vernacular titles. But, with the kind of methodology evolved by our research staff, hardly any publication escapes our notice.

Selection Mechanisms: Methodical approach to look for every new publication appearing from anywhere in India.
Procurement efforts: Exercise carried out to obtain each new/ordered publication.
Live cataloguing: Authentic cataloguing in USMARC format (following AACR-2) with Library of Congress Subject Headings. Unit Catalogue Cards also available. AuthorityDatabases also established.
Unpriced publications: Treated at par with priced publications and supplied free.
Blanket orders / approval plan: Handling for over two decades acquisition profiles representing single/multiple subject(s) even for highly specialised collections and taking care of budgetary limitations, if any.

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SELECTION MECHANISMS :

We routinely get hold of the latest titles -- most of them on the strength of our Standing Order Arrangements with commercial aswell as institutional publishers. And likewise automatically pour nto our office the publications of various government bodies, --for most of which we happen to be the authorized agents.

Research :
Our these automatic acquisitions apart, our staff in the "Selection Division" are always on their toes,tracking down new books/monographs from an ever enlarging massof sources that include book-trade literature, state gazettes, bulletins/reports/newsletters of libraries and academic/research institutions(, notifying)columns of over 50 national/regional newspapers and over 2000 periodicals: both academic and non-academic.

Significantly, in India are held numerous Conferences/Symposia/ Seminars/Scholarly Meets on wide-ranging subjects. And their Proceedings are much sought after by our customers, specially research libraries and subject specialists - though these are almost invariably hard to come by on commercial basis. Our Selection Division, however, keeps a systematic, very regular track of hundreds of such scholarly events and also of their proceedings, including pre-prints, abstracts, and souvenirs. In a word, we do not allow a let-up in our effort until we have procured each proceedings-volume that is released.

Roving Squad :
And, uniquely perhaps, in our Selection Division operates a motivated Roving Squad, whose members are constantly on the look out for titles that go unpublicized and, consequently, left out by DK's database.In their effort to bridge the information gaps, our roving members not only contact publishers, unresponsive to our written inquiries, but attend international / national / regional book fairs as well.

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PROCUREMENT EFFORTS :

With a network of time-tested contacts across the sub-continent ; an exhaustive data on publishers' addresses including even little known organizations / individuals producing occasional titles ; and, above all, our own vast stock of current titles -- we can reach you whole range of current/in-print titles.

For each order thatwe receive, we check our database to ascertain if it can be fulfilled from our own stock. In the event of its non-availability in our acquisitions, the non-stock items, (thus identified at this point), are ordered directly on the publishers/distributors.

Books published by certain reputed commercial publishers, who though happen to be very few, can no doubt be obtained easily. But we have to encounter many hurdles in procuring books from government agencies/departments, universities, research institutions, individuals and obscure publishers (based in small townships) - who, as a class, are indifferent to customers' orders. In pursuit of our orders, therefore, we have to keep reminding them periodically. Yet, despite that about 30% cases yield no results and these involve our special efforts which, notably, include despatch of registered/EMS Speed Post reminders, and even DK's representatives to make in-person purchases.

DK claim to fulfill over 95% of the customers' orders, taken in their togetherness. Which also underscores the uniqueness of our procurement services. The less-than5% items that remain unsupplied do not, in any way, reflect our failure, but are rather attributable to either a book being out of print, or its publisher having left the address, or it being not meant for sale abroad.

And, then, we respect all orders alike, regardless of their size or value - without discriminating between single-title and multiple-title orders, between high-priced and low-priced orders. Welcome at the DK are even orders for unpriced material. A recent survey of 10,000 priced monographs from (DK-Numbers) revealed that 47.6% items were in the range of US$15.00 and below. Normally such items are institutional publications, and as such these are generally not offered by bookstores in their catalogues.

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LIVE CATALOGUING :

Ours is veritably the 'Live' Cataloguing -- based, as it is, on our own meticulous inspection of the publications, procured by DK's Selection Division.

DK-Number: A physical number is first allocated to each new publication accessioned at DK. The number is unique for each title irrespective of its being a single volume or a multi-volume work. For further processing of cataloguing, order-handling or for any other practical purposes, each title is recognised in our office by its DK-Number. This number is also shown place in the last line of each entry in our various Bibliographic Media.

USMARC Records: For books in English, Sanskrit and Tibetan, we invariably adhere to AACR-2 (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd edition) -- with the Library of Congress Subject Headings. Accordingly, DK's Cataloguing Division, manned by professional librarians, marshals all essential bibliographical details -- like, for instance, the author's full, expanded name (with his/her year of birth), thesis origin, reprint or simultaneous imprint, -- for their inclusion in USMARC records created at DK. To assist the libraries not using MARC, we make available the Unit Catalogue Cards (UCCs).

These USMARC records and UCCs - supplied free with each book - have been a great help to librarians who, while accessioning, have often do just the "copy cataloguing" and, if at all necessary,establish a few additional classifications. In other words, these cards from the DK help you save on both time and money.

Authority Databases: we make all out efforts to establish our own 'Authority Databases' for information concerning forms of Names (Personal Names, Corporate Names, Meeting Names, Names of juridictions, Uniform Titles, Name/Title combinations) ; Subjects (Topical terms, Geographic Names, Names with subject subdivisions, Topical terms and geographic names with subject subdivisions) ; and Subject Subdivisions.

For Personal names,we establish full expanded name of birth of authors. If, somehow, these details cannot be had either from our own Authority Databases or from other bibliographical sources, the author concerned is requested (directly or through the publisher) to give this information.

Series and Multivolume Database: Series Statement is yet another important area involving our Cataloguing Division. Needless to say, the details about a Series -- as a source of information, are invaluable to librarians and their acquisitions of this genre.

Cataloguing entries for a 'multi-volume' title are rather mechanically updated by our bibliographers, with the appearance of each new volume. These entries, like our Series Statements, facilitate libraries or other users to update their holdings.

Reprinted Works: In the case of 'reprints', we try to collect all possible data on their `originals'. Very often, in this context, we have to probe into different bibliographical sources (available with us) to trace the original title (if it differs from the reprint title), its publisher, place and year of publication, and other relevant detail.

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UNPRICED PUBLICATIONS

In their effort to reach out for every title published in India, DK come across quite a number of 'unpriced items'. Which their Cataloguing Division not only accessions, but also lists out in one of their bibliographic media: Unpriced Publications from India, -- because DK believe that these books, though without a price tag, may be useful to the scholarly world.

Accepting orders of this kind without the least hesitancy, we do our best to procure 'unpriced' publications for our customers. And also simultaneously bearing ourselves the expenses on postage, we bring about their cost-free delivery in very real terms. But we advise the customers to write directly to the publisher/institution (at the provided address), in the event of the latter refusing to oblige us with any subsequent copies. Surprisingly perhaps to you, we have all along handled standing orders of certain customers for a number of 'unpriced' annual reports, continuations and other similar publications.

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BLANKET ORDERS/APPROVAL PLAN SERVICE (BOAP Service)

For over two decades now, DK have offered Blanket Order/Approval Plan (BOAP Service) to anyone asking for it -- for Indian publications in English, Sanskrit, and Tibetan. Ranking distinguishedly among our various services, it has continued to be availed of by many all over the world: be they national or public libraries, college or university libraries, corporate or museum libraries, government or institutional libraries.

We have proved to be well-fitted to manage the varying profiles, stipulated by participating libraries in our this programme because of :

- Our wider coverage of books on humanities, Social Sciences and Science & Technology, including Conference Proceedings.

- Our highly professionalized selection mechanisms to take note of each new publication.

- Our 'Live Cataloguing' in USMARC format (following AACR-2) with Library of Congress Subject Headings byprofessional librarians/bibliographers and making available the relevant USMARC record (or enclosing the Unit Catalogue Card) with each book.

- Our 'Authority Databases' taking care of personal names, corporate names, meetings, uniform titles, series names, subjects etc.

- Our speciality in even supplying 'free of charge' the unpriced publications fitting into the customer() 's boap profile.

These reasons apart, at DK functions a large-scale BOAP Service Division to take care of every BO customer. and all their specific requirements. This division, (we must say) , is managed by subject specialists and other professionally trained personnel.

How DK's BOAP Service Works
When you decide to participate in our this programme, DK's BOAP Service Division takes an indepth, analytical look at your subject profile; together with a thorough note of your instructions, specifying the() 'languages', 'geographical-area contexts' and the 'nature' of publications (like, for instance, dissertations/theses, editions: revised/enlarged, reprints, translated works, series, and serials) which you would or would not require, or would like to be informed about.

Next, we develop, for your final approval, a 'Working Profile', distinctly underscoring inclusions, exclusions, and marginal cases. And when this 'Working Profile' is finally okayed by you, we commence supplying -- on a regular basis -- the titles meant for inclusions, keeping you informed simultaneously about the `marginal' items. Exclusions, you will appreciate, do not call for any report to the customer.

In translating the 'Working Profile' into everyday practice, our team of librarians ensures that nothing but professional judgement guides BOAP allocations within each library's subject and non-subject parameters. DK establish profiles by imprint or publisher type too, in addition to the subject-oriented plans. For instance, a Multi-National Publisher may be treated as "Marginal Case", if the customer so desires. And we also take note of the 'budgetary limits' of our customers, if they choose to stipulate any. You enjoy the option to modify, amend or alter(the) 'Working Profile' if you ever so desire.

Marginals and Exclusions :
A publication is likely to be looked upon as a marginal/borderline case, when our BO specialists are in doubt about its relevance vis-a-vis the 'Working Profile'. And, therefore, a publication, thus treated as a marginal/borderline case, is supplied only after the customer's confirmation.

Broadly, 'Exclusions' and 'Marginals' could be :

• Extracts from rare books/periodicals, brought out as independent monographs.
• Multivolume Works: the 'second' and 'later' volumes of the titles, whose first volume had been published before the BOAP became operative, (However, if the first volume is received after the programme becomes effective, the same and the subsequent volumes will automatically be a part of the BOAP supplies).
• Publications bearing the imprint year which precedes the year of publication from which the BOAP commences.
• Periodicals/Newspapers and also their special numbers/indexes.
• Reference/General Books that do not strictly fall in with the defined subject scope.
• Serials and series: whether regular or irregular, whether numbered or unnumbered.
• Reprints with no change/substantial change/additions.
• Imprints appearing simultaneously in India and abroad, wherever identifiable.
• Works offering very partial coverage of the subject, specified inthe 'Working Profile'.

All marginal items are notified, with complete cataloguing information. The customer() 's demand for any of these items is, therefore, treated as a 'separate' order.

Invoicing :
A regular invoice, (in triplicate), for the titles selected and supplied under the BOAP, together with the relevant Unit Catalogue Cards, is forwarded by AIR MAIL for advance information of the customer. An additional copy of the air-mailed invoice is enclosed with each shipment to serve as a packing slip.

All publications shipped/air-mailed are invoiced "Less 10% Special Discount". Any special order (which may include 'marginals'/'exclusions' as well), however, does not carry this special discount, and is shipped separately. Postage, packing and forwarding charges, as usual, are extra in all cases.

Returns :
During the first year of the operation of the BOAP, customers are free to return the books which, they think, do not fit into the scheme of the 'Working Profiles'. We will, however, appreciate if you cared to tell us, 'why a book is being returned'. Your this communication will be our education -- helping us further sharpen our perspective of the 'Working Profile'. And we do hope that the chances of returning the "unfit"/" unsuitable" publications will get eliminated with our growing understanding of the customers' requirements.

In the event of customers' returning the "unfit"/"unsuitable" books:

• return postage is borne by them (the customers), and
• the price of the 'returned books' credited to their accounts. (The customers, no doubt, are kept informed of these adjustments).

How Our BOAP Services Benefit You ?
Your reliance on our Blanket Order Service helps you smooth over recurring problems of selecting, ordering, and even missing books. And simultaneously smoothens the passage of your acquisitions from any part of the Indian subcontinent.

Once you opt for DK's BOAP Service,

• you need not scan different selection sources to look for the publications of your interest/specialization;
• you bring about speedy comprehensiveness of your acquisitions. And update them too with the newest titles;
• you not just dispense with the ordeal of selections, but also all that trails behind selections: like, for instance, ordering (often on multiple copy order forms) and following up each ordered publication -- with all the concomitant uncertainties;
• you meaningfully turn over the arduous responsibility of selections to the country wherefrom originate the publications, you want -- the publications which, very often, are lost sight of by libraries. In turning over your selections to DK, you bind them to fulfil their BOAP obligations -- through sufficiently advanced standing-order arrangements;
• you altogether root out the 'out of stock' or the 'out of print' kind of possibilities;
• you receive, with each supplied title, our USMARC Record (or Unit Catalogue Cards) that significantly lessen technical processing effort in your own library.
• you have all the choice, of course, for one full year, to return any book that you think is unsuitable for your library; and
• Then, you have cost-free supply of all relevant unpriced publications.

A Bonanza in Economic Terms

• We offer a "10% SPECIAL DISCOUNT" on all your acquisitions under DK's BOAP. Which means that your each bank note begins to buy over 10% more than it ordinarily would!
• DK's BOAP helps you avoid losses on unfit / unwanted / substandard books that you may chance to select from booksellers' listings/catalogues.
• Our "10% SPECIAL DISCOUNT", together with what you cut down on postage and administrative costs: (selections, ordering, cheque writing, follow-ups, cataloguing and the like), works out to tidy savings -- in very real terms. And today when libraries the world over have strait-jacketed acquisition options -- from ever shrinking budgets, our BOAP lowers costs, expands budgets!

Could you ask for more from a commercial book house?