[OPLINLIST] question for NE Ohio libraries re: CLE Plain Dealer

[Gerry Vogel]

We are restarting our newspaper subscriptions that have been suspended for
over a year.

Several years ago, The Plain Dealer went to home delivery only four days a
week.  The other days would only go to stores and boxes.

In order to get copies every day, we were able to get a bulk delivery
account, in which we pretended to be a newsagent.  The minimum delivery was
11 copies, but at circa 11 cents per copy this was a cost effective and
reasonable way to get all the issues.  It cost about as much as a
regular subscription, the patrons appreciated, and we passed the extra
copies around to staff and patrons.

This worked for several years.  Now, after reaching out for resumption of
bulk deliveries, the price has changed drastically.  1.50 weekdays and 2.50
Sundays PER COPY, minimum 10 copies, but 5 was offered in our case.  That
is still almost  $1500 a year extra. We can hardly justify that.  Yes,
patrons will be put out, but they may not want to hear or care about the
explanation.  I don't know how newsagents can make any money at that cost,
either.

Did anyone else do this and run into the same issue? Or do you have
different contacts than we do?  Does anyone have staff pick up copies at
the store on non-delivery days or have other arrangements that work?

-- 
 PER
Gerry Vogel: MLIS, Ohio CPL
Assistant Director, Avon Lake Public Library
32649 Electric Blvd. Avon Lake OH 44012 www.alpl.org
tel: 440-933-8128 x239  fax: 440-933-6406

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