This week, Baker & Taylor—long regarded as the largest distributor of books to public and academic libraries and schools—announced that it will be ceasing operations. For many years, Baker & Taylor has served as the primary book supplier for the North Canton Public Library, making this abrupt closure a significant disruption for our library and many others across the country.

As a library wholesaler, Baker & Taylor played a vital role in helping us maximize our budget by providing cost-effective pricing and valuable tools that supported efficient purchasing and cataloging. These services allowed our staff to dedicate more time to serving our community. While we are currently placing some orders through vendors like Amazon, these platforms do not offer the same level of integration, support, or value that Baker & Taylor provided.

As the library supply landscape adjusts to this major change, we anticipate potential delays and disruptions. You may notice fewer new materials being added to our collection in the coming weeks, and delays in receiving newly released titles—especially those in Large Print—or fulfilling specific item requests.

We understand how frustrating this may be, and we share your concerns. We are actively exploring alternative suppliers and working diligently to establish new partnerships to ensure continued access to the materials our patrons rely on.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Frequently Asked Questions 
How will this affect my holds?
You may experience longer wait times for items on hold, as materials are arriving at the library later than usual due to supplier disruptions. 

Will things ever get back to normal for NCPL?
Yes! We’re confident that library operations will stabilize soon. Several other suppliers offer similar services to Baker & Taylor, and we’re already evaluating those options. Once we finalize a new partnership, we’ll resume regular ordering and expect new materials to arrive more consistently.

Did the library pay for books that were never delivered?
No. Baker & Taylor only billed libraries after books were shipped and received.

Why can’t the library use Amazon or other larger retailers like Walmart for all of its book orders? 
Baker & Taylor enabled us to stretch our budget and provide durable materials that would last through multiple readers and many years of enjoyment. Wholesalers like Baker & Taylor allow us to get the most value from every dollar we spend, ensuring that our purchases are fiscally responsible and that our shelves stay full of the materials you love. They allow us to keep processing and cataloging costs low and efficient so that we can get new items to you as soon as possible.

These essential wholesale services are not available from Amazon or larger retailers. While Amazon offers a wide range of products, it does not provide the library-specific tools and services that vendors like Baker & Taylor did—such as integration with our cataloging systems and discounted bulk pricing. Additionally, Amazon has proven less reliable for certain materials, including Large Print titles. 

Will this affect other parts of the library’s collection? What about digital materials?
Digital resources like Libby and Hoopla remain unaffected by this change. (We encourage you to explore them if you haven’t already!) Audiovisual media like DVDs and CDs will still arrive in a timely manner; audiovisual items are selected, ordered, and shipped from a different wholesaler.