In the effort to reduce costs, improve productivity, enhance quality of services, and improve turnaround time for ordering, receiving, and cataloging new materials, libraries are increasingly turning to outsourcing as a strategic management tool to help them maximize use of their fiscal and human resources. This guide covers all aspects of outsourcing for all types of jobs, from traditional examples such as book jobbers to more technical options such as outsourcing cataloging. Advice is provided on such topics as: reengineering library operations; determining when outsourcing is appropriate; conducting cost studies to evaluate technical operations; preparing formal requests for proposals; evaluating vendor responses and services; and monitoring the quality of outsourced operations. The guide also explores the pros and cons of outsourcing versus human resource needs, and contract management and compliance. Appendixes include checklists for procuring book and journal vendor services, cataloging services and other technical services, glossary of terms, and bibliography. (Author/AEF)