Baker & Taylor, one of the nation’s largest suppliers of books and materials to public libraries, is in the process of closing after years of financial difficulties. The move has caused the library world to race to secure alternative vendors, including in Iowa.
For many public libraries, including the Iowa City Public Library, the closure marks the loss of a longtime vendor responsible for the bulk of their print collections and essential processing services. According to ICPL Director Anne Mangano, 84% of the library's book collections were purchased through Baker & Taylor last year. ICPL will not receive any of the books it currently has on order from the company.
“They were a pretty substantial company for public libraries,” she said.
The North Carolina–based company partnered with more than 5,000 libraries worldwide. It had been the primary vendor for many Iowa libraries, in particular, due to a contract with the State Library of Iowa that allowed institutions to collectively negotiate discounted pricing on books, audiobooks, DVDs and other materials. Mangano said that statewide agreement helped smaller systems, especially rural Iowa libraries, compete with major library networks in cities like Chicago and New York for access to books.
The swift collapse of Baker & Taylor did not come as a complete surprise to industry observers. The company had been struggling financially for several years and lost momentum after a failed acquisition deal, which led to widespread order cancellations. Other distributors are now working to fill the void. Ingram Content Group, already a major wholesaler for many libraries, including ICPL, has expanded operations to absorb incoming orders.
Some Iowa libraries, including the Des Moines Public Library, said they expect minimal disruption thanks to early preparation.
"This was not a surprise to us as B&T has been struggling for several years, and noticeably more in the past 6-9 months," Supervising Librarian Jennifer Tormey wrote in an email to IPR. "We started to move our orders over to different vendors over the past few months, so we should be good. That being said, with all of the libraries across the country moving to the same 2-3 vendors, we could experience some slow periods as they deal with the influx of orders."
While Mangano called Baker & Taylor's announcement "a shock," she acknowledged there had been warning signs.
“They’ve had some fulfillment issues,” she said. “I had an idea this was going to happen.”
She pointed to a recent disruption: When author Elin Hilderbrand visited Iowa City earlier this year, ICPL was left without copies of her newest book due to Baker & Taylor's delays and canceled orders.
Beyond books, Baker & Taylor provided specialized services such as cataloging, labeling and jacketing — labor-intensive tasks that many libraries will now have to handle themselves, or seek additional, alternative vendors for.
Mangano said Baker & Taylor's closure could mean longer wait times for patrons as libraries transition to new suppliers and adjust to increased costs.
“Overall, our selection will be a little smaller, and we might not be buying as many copies as before,” she said. “It comes at a time when library budgets have already been strained in a number of ways.”
In a message to the community, Mangano apologized for the forthcoming delays.
"We will figure this out — we always do, but I know it is disappointing to wait longer for the next great book."
