Community college library/vendor relations: you can't always get what you want ... or can you?

Community colleges serve a large and diverse student population. Vendors and community colleges would be well served by smaller database packages with focus on non-traditional studies. Untapped key elements vendors should consider in promoting sales with community colleges include: timely responses, practical license structures, and consistent database offerings. Fostering positive vendor/community college relationships is assisted by strategies to address current economic realities, customizing database contents, focus groups and other forums to communicate mutual needs and capabilities. Proactive librarians should assist vendors in understanding the unique needs of community colleges. KEYWORDS. Community colleges, California, collection development, library consortia, database selection, electronic resources