SAIL Services
Book Ordering
SAIL can order and purchase books from several suppliers, including one or two deep-discount book distributors. The savings, which can range up to 40%, are passed on to member libraries.
This service meets a real need for libraries in countries where it is difficult to establish credit with US book publishers and suppliers. Some libraries have reported that in many cases it takes less than three months to receive books from the SAIL office compared to as long as 18 to 24 months when they use other methods.
Periodicals
SAIL is able to purchase periodicals at US subscription rates (no discount available). Our service may include placing orders, payment, check-in, renewals, claiming of missing issues, and bulk mailing of journals to libraries. This service can fulfill a need for schools that do not have reliable postal service regarding journals, or do not want to deal with the details of subscription ordering.
Free Books
Books, textbooks and other materials are collected from generous donors and cataloged in a Free Books List which is sent to member libraries for selection on a quarterly basis. only materials our members select will be sent. These items are sent free of charge--the only cost is for postage. We use the United States Postal Service's Priority Mail flat rate boxes, as they are usually the cheapest option.
Unfortunately at this time, SAIL does not have a source of funding to help defray the costs of any orders, or the costs of postage. Schools will be responsible for the entire cost of any books or journal subscriptions ordered, and for the cost of bulk mailing (USPS Priority Mail) of requested items to the requesting school. The advantage in using SAIL lies in the access to publishers, potential aggregator discounts, and donated items, plus a bulk mailing in enclosed boxes, which helps journal subscriptions especially arrive to their destination intact, rather than disappearing one-by-one into the postal system.
Note to Donors:
The SAIL office welcomes donations of good-condition books, journals, and other educational materials. We prefer that the donations be items that can be used by an academic library, as opposed to general popular-culture items. It is also preferable to have items with a publication date within the last 10 years, especially in fast-moving areas such as science, business, and nursing. For areas like religion, literature, and Adventist materials, older items are fine, so long as they are useful.
Call or visit the SAIL Office in the James White Library to arrange for receipt of materials. Thank you for your generosity!