What we do

We aim to provide the very best library supply service that we can and at the very best value. Maybe we are trying to attempt the impossible? But by aiming high, keeping costs down, and listening to our customers we believe in achieving the miraculous.

Our supply service is specifically designed for academic, research and professional libraries. As the needs of a university library are different to those of a corporate library we offer a flexible range of services from which you can select what you need.

• We supply books, monographs, series, reference works, non-trade titles, microforms and CD-ROMs published in English and German.
  
• We focus on supplying from publishers in specific countries: primarily the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and North America, as well as Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.
  
• We specialise in all academic subjects and in the full range of library material, including electronic media, and excluding only journals.

• The accurate and fast fulfilment of your orders
• The provision of excellent bibliographic information
• A service that is efficient and friendly.

History

We have specialised in the supply of books and other publications to libraries since 1974 when the company was established by Bernhard Starkmann. The company philosophy has always been straightforward: to achieve business success by giving the best value supply service to libraries.

This approach has proved effective. We have grown from having 10 customers in 2 countries to having more than 1500 customers across Europe. Recently we have successfully started to offer our services outside Europe.

We have achieved this growth organically, not by company takeovers, but by building on our established customer base. We are not part of a huge conglomerate but a medium-sized company. This enables us to deliver a more efficient and friendly service because you are in contact with the decision-makers.

We started by specialising in publications from the Netherlands and are still particularly strong in the fast, reliable and competitive supply of Dutch books; especially titles published by Elsevier and Kluwer Academic with whom we have been working for more than 20 years.

In 1978 we opened a sister company,  Starkmann Inc., in the United States. Through this company we supply titles from North American publishers at the lower domestic price. Customers only need to contact our London office as an electronic ISDN link connects the computer systems of both companies.

In 1990 we started to produce catalogues listing the top academic reference works. These have become extremely popular and we are now one of the leading suppliers for this type of material.

Our policy of continual improvement means that we are constantly updating our computer systems. The current system incorporates electronic ordering, e-mail, an extensive bibliographic database, automatic claiming, invoicing, ISDN, EDI and, of course, the Website. View the News page for details of new features and innovations.

We aim to stay independent and owner managed, and to continue growing by delivering the very best library supply service.

People

The company relies on its staff, all of whom are highly skilled in our specialisation through a combination of previous experience as librarians, cataloguers and booksellers, and through our in-house training programmes. There are currently approximately 40 people in London, and 15 in Boston.

The international Customer Service and Sales Team consists of people from Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Britain. Most of the team is bi-lingual, some are even tri-lingual, ensuring that you can always speak to somebody in one of the major European languages.

The team is organised so that each library is assigned one regular contact person who is skilled in all aspects of Customer Service. That person is available by telephone, fax or e-mail for all day to day contact.

Visit Us

We would like to extend a very warm welcome to any of our customers who would like to visit us. The offices of Starkmann Limited are located in Marylebone in central London, not far from such well known attractions as Regent's Park, the Madame Tussaud's wax work museum and the London Planetarium.

A visit to our offices gives you the opportunity to understand better how we process and fulfill your orders as well as giving you a chance to talk to the staff who are involved. For our staff - most of whom do not travel to meet you in your library - it is a welcome opportunity to get to know the faces behind the names they are familiar with.

In addition to seeing how we work, a visit to our offices also gives you a chance to view our latest exhibition of contemporary art. Exhibitions are changed approximately twice a year and help to add an extra dimension to our working environment.

Please contact our customer service team in advance to arrange a time for your visit.

How to get to our offices:

Broadley Street runs between the Edgware Road (A5) and Lisson Grove and our office is within a few metres of the Lisson Grove end of Broadley Street at no.'s 6-12. The closest Underground Stations are Marylebone, Edgware Road and Baker Street. The map pinpoints the location of our building on Broadley street.

Services

Orders

We ensure we do everything we can to fulfil your orders as fast and accurately as possible, and to keep you informed of each step along the way.

Placing orders

Orders can be sent to us via post, fax, e-mail, EDI, telephone or through the Order facility on this Website. Once received, orders are entered onto our computer system within 24 hours, and for EDI orders are transferred instantly.

Bibliographic checking

Using our comprehensive database we double-check the information on each order whenever necessary. Our database combines new title information from the publishers, with up-to-date details of price and availability provided by our own sources. If any details are significantly different we will confirm with you immediately.

Electronic ordering

Orders are transmitted electronically direct to European publishers daily via Teleordering. Orders for North American publishers are forwarded to our Boston office by ISDN and sent out electronically via Pubnet. A small number of orders have to be sent by fax or post.

Reports

If a title cannot be supplied immediately we will send you a report with details of the delay and the expected date of supply if known. In many cases reports are instantly available from our database, or we get the information from the publishers. Reports can be sent by post and EDI, or you can Track your Orders on this Website.

Claims

If a book is not supplied within 10 days or more (depending on the publisher), and we do not have a report, we will automatically issue a claim. If we still hear nothing we will re-check the order, contact the publisher again and re-order as necessary.

Standing Orders

Yes, we can supply these. We have an automated system for monitoring your standing orders and actively claim and report on any outstanding parts of a series.

Blanket Orders

If you want to receive all titles published within the limits of a particular subject or publisher we can set up a Blanket Order so that you will automatically receive each title as it is published.

Returns

Yes, it happens, although rarely, that a title is returned to us. We do accept returns, as long as we can return to the publisher. However, so that we don't open ourselves to escalating costs, we do everything we can to keep returns to a minimum and ask that you do the same.

Management Reports

As this term can mean anything or nothing we will be specific. We can provide you with Open Order Reports showing the supply status for each of the titles you have ordered. This allows you to allocate funds efficiently based on the expected dates of publication and the estimated price. We can also provide a Turnover Analysis, and an Orders Received Report showing your monthly expenditure over the last 2 years so that you can plan your budgets most effectively.

End of Year Service

With the information from our Management Reports, details of the forthcoming titles within your library's specifications and pre-invoicing we can reduce the difficulties of allocating funds at the end of the financial year.

Invoices

All documentation you receive from us is clear and straightforward with full consideration given to your library's requirements. Invoices, and Reports, can quote the order number, order date or fund; for single titles or cumulatively; separated by Department or Fund; as well as provide details of any changes to the title or availability. The prices can be in source currency, or in the major international currencies with details of the original price and the exchange rate used. We can also offer you a Deposit Account Service.

Speed

We do everything possible (apart from changing the clocks) to increase the speed of supply and ensure that delivery is as fast and inexpensive as possible:

• orders are placed within 24 hours of receipt;
• publishers are pressurised to supply us quickly;
• books are sent out weekly by the most effective delivery system.

From London, via courier to most European libraries, and air parcel outside Europe.
From Boston, via weekly Airfreight to Germany or London, and then courier, or by air parcel to libraries outside Europe.

NB: We will deliver by whatever is the most effective method, so the above details will change.

Typical delivery time for customers in Europe is 3 weeks from London and 4 weeks from Boston.

Express Service

We will treat your most urgent orders as Express ensuring individual processing and extra fast delivery for an additional charge. Orders marked Express are processed separately and checked daily, availability is confirmed immediately, and the only limit to delivery time is cost.

Packaging

All material is sent packaged in bound cardboard boxes (made from sustainable wood) weighed in accordance with EU recommendations on Health & Safety.

FastTrack Service

As publishers vastly differ in the level of service they provide, we have identified several of the best as FastTrack in order to optimize supply. By having regular meetings with these publishers we have successfully negotiated to obtain the fastest delivery, best conditions and the most efficient service. See our FastTrack page for the latest list of publishers included.

Information

As bibliographic information forms the basis of our ordering process we have specifically designed an Information Service to provide you with comprehensive, up-to-date and accurate details in accordance to your exact specifications.

Title Database

Our database is, as far as we know, unique, as we combine information from several sources to keep you fully informed. New title information from the publishers is supplemented with 50 word abstracts, and the precise details of price and availability obtained in response to placing your orders. In this way you will not only receive details of new titles, but can be up to date on the publication dates and prices which are often subject to frequent change.

Title information can be received by our customers in the following ways, all are of which are free of charge, and you can choose to use some, all or none of them:-

• Title Information Service

Using our database we can send you information on new and existing titles in your areas of interest. Title selection is always tailored to your needs. If you want to receive details of forthcoming titles on Analytical Chemistry from selected publishers in the Netherlands plus details of published reference titles (or whatever your preferences are) our system is flexible enough to cope. Moreover this information can be sent on paper cards in the International Library Format, e-mail, EDI, ASCII file or fax.

• Pre-publication Offers

We take extra special care with these titles so that you know about expensive major reference works in your subject areas as early as possible and can take advantage of any special offers. By sending out leaflets on forthcoming titles we make sure you have all the information you need, as well as getting it early and well before the expiry date. In the month before publication is due we will send you a reminder of the special offer so that you do not have to miss any opportunities.

• Major Reference Catalogues

Every year we publish catalogues of Major Reference Works which bring together all of the best academic reference and research titles. Our catalogues are organised by subject and highlight special and pre-publication offers. Because of the effort we put into promoting these titles, publishers often give us advance information and special offers, enabling you to make substantial savings on many essential reference titles.

Prices

Cost-effectiveness

We do not aim to provide the cheapest service available. We do aim to be the most cost-effective. Through our experience of your needs we balance the differing requirements of accuracy, speed, information and price to fulfil your orders at the best value.

List Prices

We start with the publishers' list price by country of origin and then give a discount whenever our costs and publishers' conditions allow. Starkmann Incorporated supply at the US domestic prices. Through regular negotiations with the publishers we aim to improve conditions and service for our customers. Occasionally the discount from the publisher does not cover our costs so we have to charge commission.

Delivery Charges

We absorb as much of the delivery cost as we can, and for many destinations, depending on costs and your library's turnover with us, delivery is free of charge.

Total Service

Customer Partnership

In order to keep our prices down and provide an efficient service to our mutual benefit we thought we would point out some of the ways you can help:

• the more complete your order details are, the faster we can supply.
  
• we can supply the most esoteric grey literature but it is difficult and expensive to obtain so we ask you to send us a fair mix of orders.
  
• we treat each library as an individual but standard requirements are helpful.
  
• the lower the number of returns the more cost efficient we can be.
  
• and most importantly please pay your invoices immediately, and ensure that payment is sent by cheque or direct bank transfer in the invoiced currency.

I know we've mentioned our Customer Services Team several times already but they deserve a section to themselves:

• they aim to respond to your enquiries within 24 hours,
• you will always be contacted by the same person,
• that person will speak your language or a mutually understood language.

Regular visits to your library

Our multi-lingual Sales Team visit libraries on a regular basis so that we can monitor the service we are supplying, keep up to date with your requirements, and inform you of new innovations. We are also present at the major bookfairs and international library conferences.

Quality Control

To ensure consistent high standards we have carefully defined procedures for all the services that we provide. We maintain these by involving staff in regular meetings to ensure the standards are being met and the procedures make sense, and by having a system of self-assessment where staff evaluate their own performance.

Still unsure?

Explore the other sections of this Website, or give us a call.

Continual Innovation

In-house monitoring and training

We don't stop at quality control. We have a policy of continually assessing how our services can be improved. Staff are encouraged to come forward with their ideas and to question how they are doing things so that we can keep providing an excellent service.

We don't take the attitude that you're trained and that's it. We re-assess our methods, constantly re-train, and are always looking to build on what we have done and move forwards from there.

Response to the changing world

• In 1994 when the European Single Market was introduced we changed our shipping and our invoicing procedures to maximise benefits from day one.
• As the world relies more and more on electronic communications we have prepared ourselves to be ready to meet the needs of libraries, and now offer EDI enabling you to send orders direct from your system to ours.

Art and Business

In search of the miraculous ...

Yes, we are aiming high, but we believe that a policy of clear goals and high standards needs to combined with creative energy for constant improvement. And we believe there is more to achieving and maintaining our goals than analysing the balance sheet.

All of the images on this Website are of works of art in the Starkmann company collection. They have been selected because they are all in some way "In search of the miraculous". Each artist is trying to express visually something beyond the banalities of our day to day existence, and trying to find something of the magical in our lives and activities.

The company has combined art with business since the 1980s, and all of the works in the collection are contemporary, innovative and, we think, of a high standard. The art works are installed in our offices and are used in our promotional material and bibliographies. The atmosphere the art gives is intrinsic to the achievement of our aims. Hence most of the works are thought provoking, forward looking and dynamic, and as a company we look to the art to inspire our daily operations.

What to do Now

If you are interested in the services we have to offer and would like to Become a customer then simply send us some trial orders and see if we deliver what we say we can.

We haven't mentioned everything as we didn't want this text to be too much of a marathon of detail. If you want to know more, simply E-mail our Customer Services Team.