For Vendors
We value our relationships with our vendor partners, and we welcome new ones! This page contains information about how vendors can partner with WiLS to connect to a member community of over 600 libraries and cultural organizations in Wisconsin and beyond, broaden brand and product exposure, simplify the purchasing process, and leverage WiLS’ reputation as a trusted source of high-quality service.
How WiLS Cooperative Purchasing Service Works
WiLS Cooperative Purchasing staffers work with our member community by market type: Academic, K12, Public, and Special libraries. Driven by WiLS’ mission and values, each liaison works closely with our members to understand their needs, their patrons, and their constraints with regards to the valuable products they purchase, or would like to purchase, from vendors. WiLS’ Cooperative Purchasing Service saves our members time and money by managing the entire life cycle of electronic resource purchases, from trials to customized invoicing, and by working with vendors to negotiate reduced pricing on products and services needed by the library member.
WiLS has partnerships with all types of vendors, including vendors of electronic databases and journals, ebooks, physical products, and services.
- For vendors of electronic resources, WiLS brings value to your product as a partner. As a single point of contact for both vendors and for members, we simplify the process of renewing and provide customized invoicing. We can promote your resources through communications in newsletters, emails, and on our website in addition to in consult with members directly as they share their needs with us. We get information about important, new, or updated products to members through our Taco Tuesday series of vendor demonstrations. WiLS will serve as a single invoicing point for all of our member libraries, streamlining your billing process. In addition, WiLS pays vendor invoices as soon as possible, independent of the payment cycle for members. 83% of the invoices from our vendors are paid in 30 days and 98% in 60 days. Our average time to pay is 19 days. WiLS always strives to develop relationships that benefit both our members and our vendor partners. To that end, we seek out partnerships that will result in cost savings for our members of at least 15% overall. We’re also very conscious of our members’ budgetary constraints. They cannot absorb excessive yearly price increases and continue to be your customers, so we will work with you to try to keep annual increases below 4% to ensure a sustainable relationship. In addition, WiLS vendor partners are expected to provide new order and renewal pricing to WiLS in a timely manner and make every attempt to keep the renewal price of their products affordable to WiLS members. See the boilerplate partnership agreement for electronic resource vendors.
- For vendors of products, WiLS members receive a negotiated discount on your products, or a selection of your products, directly through your preferred ordering platform. We can promote your products through communications in newsletters, emails, on our website, and in conversations members directly as they share their needs with us. See the boilerplate partnership agreement for direct-order vendors.
- For consultants, performers, or other service providers, WiLS has a small but growing number of consultant, performer, and service provider relationships. Our goal is to help such professionals gain access to a wider market for their unique skills while helping our members to afford their services. Since each of these services is unique, we’ll craft the terms of such relationships on a case-by-case basis. We’d love to hear from you to start that process!
Other ways to connect to the Wisconsin library community
Our members appreciate vendors that support the library community beyond the valuable products they provide. Sponsorship and attendance at Wisconsin library-related events are great ways to highlight your products, foster lasting relationships with WiLS members, and show your commitment to the field of librarianship. In addition, WiLS is a great place to start if you are looking to collaborate with our member libraries. Read more about how to connect with the Wisconsin library community.
Contact us
If you are interested in learning more or working with WiLS, use this form to contact us or email us at coop@wils.org with the Cooperative Purchasing team.