Local Book Suppliers:
Every library has to depend on local booksellers for most of the supplies. Unlike the major outside book markets referred to earlier, local book shops do not usually stock many publications of interest to libraries. Their main aim may be casual readers and counter sales. Supply against specific orders will not be always prompt and effective sins; their investments in business will be small and machinery for procurement weak. As a result, orders for many items may not be executed. They may even underquote and take the orders. But they will be more eager to push in their unsold stock to libraries than in supplying the ordered items. Libraries also, after having waited too long for supply of ordered items, will be made to go in for whatever the bookseller has in stock before the lapse of the financial year.
Foreign Publications Libraries in India have to depend heavily on foreign publications. These are mostly expensive. They will not be adequately stocked by Indian booksellers or even the publishers own representatives. Procuring them from abroad against orders may take 3 to 6 months. Even then the final supply will depend upon the bookseller's trade connections and credibility, various import regulations and formalities, and other factors. The situation can be overcome if you exercise sufficient caution in the choice of your supplier. Further, you will have to initiate your orders for foreign publications early enough taking into account the time factor.