PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS: THEY MAY AFFECT YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE
One hallmark of a profession is that it creates participatory organizations that offer educational opportunities, publish, and lobby in support of the field. These same professional associations also study and address problems and bring members together for sharing and networking. In the library profession we have several major national and international organizations such as the Special Libraries Association, the American Library Association, and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.
MANAGER OF SPENDING: PURCHASING TRENDS AND TERMS IN THE BUSINESS AND LIBRARY COMMUNITIES
In his article in Purchasing, James Morgan uses the phrase “manager of spending” to describe what many of us do in our daily tasks. The phrase struck home with me particularly now as I work with ten of our thirty staff members to complete requisitions, purchase orders, receiving reports, and budget analyses for the end of the fiscal year.
Analyzing the service contract when buying equipment.
: When purchasing equipment, financial managers must consider how much maintenance and repair will cost in addition to the initial purchase price. Equipment service contracts can help ease the cost of equipment maintenance. But before signing a contract, financial managers should carefully analyze the agreement, considering such factors as vendor qualifications, covered equipment, and the term, coverage, conditions, and cost of the agreement.