[IUG] Amazon policy for academic sites

["Karen Reilly" <KREILLY at holycross dot edu>]

Have any of you had policy discussions with campus decisions makers concerning the use of Amazon or Amazon Associates from an academic website? It came up because a faculty member wants to link to Amazon and/or publisher's websites to sell his book. According to our current policy we're not supposed to solicit sales from our .edu pages. However, this particular example could be considered to be a service. 
 
Concerns that came up were:
 Sales that were generated by the link, but were not books published by our faculty could be considered "unrelated income" and affect our IRS tax status.
 
 Would it affect our bookstore sales?
 
 Would this open a "slippery slope" to selling other items? Faculty produce items other than books, artwork for example, that could be sold online. 
 
 If your library or campus has become an associate, has it generated significant income? 
 
 I know some libraries have joined for the book jackets, and I was thinking about doing that, before the meeting I attended yesterday! Has it been useful for academic sites?
 
Any advice would be appreciated. Please feel free to answer offline. 
 
Thanks in advance,
Karen
 
 
 
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Karen Reilly
Associate Director of Libraries
College of the Holy Cross
1 College St.
Worcester, MA 01610
508-793-2520
kreilly at holycross dot edu


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