Self-Paced CORE Modules: Consumer Information

Library users want to be able to make informed decisions on purchases. They often ask for objective evaluations of products and ratings of specific features, such as safety, reliability, or efficiency. This unit will give you some tips in handling requests for general consumer information, and then concentrate on a couple of areas people are often interested in: vehicles, antiques, collectibles, and art.

General Consumer Information from Print Sources

Consumer magazines, indexes to consumer magazines, and consumer buying guides from reputable publishers are the best sources of evaluations. Most libraries will have one or more consumer magazines such as Consumer Reports, Consumer Guide, Consumers Digest, or Consumers' Research. Comparisons may also be found in periodicals that cater to a specific interest group. For example, evaluations of running shoes are published in Runner's World. Sometimes these evaluations can be found on the periodical's website. Runner's World does this for their "shoe selector," as well as for other articles from the magazine about evaluating shoes.

Consumer Reports is probably the best-known and most extensive publisher of product evaluations in print. Their December issue indexes the articles that have appeared during the last five years, and reprints some of these product comparisons. The December issue can be purchased separately as their annual Buying Guide. The index covers this volume (entries in bold face type), and the past five years of the magazine. This can be frustrating for library users who are expecting to find all indexed articles in this volume, but it also makes it a good resource for identifying articles in back issues held by the library or for arranging an interlibrary loan.

One more caution: many library users think that Consumer Reports reviews all products. Of course, this is not true. Refer to the section "How to Use the Buying Guide Issue" for an explanation of how products are selected for review.

Product Review and Price Comparisons on the Internet

Using a search engine to find product information can be very useful. Searching the Internet can be quick and easy. By typing in the name of a product, using a search engine such as Google, and including the term "review" or "comparison" can bring you to review sites. However, some of those sites will be nothing more than advertisements by the company that produces this product.

In Google, there is a useful trick for finding products in a price range. Try typing "dvd player" ..$100 review to find reviews of a DVD player below $100, or "dvd player" $100.. review to find reviews of a DVD player for more than $100, or "dvd player" $100..$250 review to find reviews for a DVD player that costs between $100-$250.

ConsumerSearch (consumersearch.com) is a great one-stop resource for product review information. Product categories include photo & video, electronics, personal finance, sports, house & home, office, kitchen, health & fitness, family, automotive, and garden. They are especially strong in reviews of electronic and digital equipment of various kinds.

This resource reviews products, analyzes other reviews, and provides top-rated product listings. Their reviewers include "a former Wall Street Securities analyst, former employees of Consumer Reports, editors from Ziff Davis' computer magazines, and other editors with a background in competitive product analysis."

There are several sites that do nothing but compare products and prices. The term currently being used for some of these websites is "shop bot" or "shopping bot." "Bot" is short for robot and is a software tool that automatically finds information on the web. Two useful sites are: Froogle.com, (Google's shop bot) and mySimon.com (which provides product reviews as well as pricing information). A couple of sites that shop for books only are AllBookstores.com and BookFinder.com.

Consumer Credit

BankRate (www.bankrate.com/brm/) makes it easy to calculate mortgage rates, credit card or car payments, amortization tables, etc. There is lots of advice on getting and staying out of debt, investing and managing your money. The site has easy to use tables, although it is marred by lots of advertising.

Debt Advice (www.debtadvice.org) is a sub-site of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Provides a directory of phone and online debt counselors, a budget calculator, and links to local programs (visitors type in a zip code).

Search the LII using the phrase "consumer credit" for more useful sites.

Vehicles: Value & Repair

Overview

This section will prepare you to respond to requests for information on pricing and repair of vehicles. You will learn what information you need from the library user to locate the price or repair information efficiently. You will learn about the different types of repair manuals and how to locate them in your collection. And you will learn how to assist library users with special requests like resources for restoring a vehicle, repair information for vehicles that are not autos or trucks, and how to locate price and repair manuals online.

New and Used Vehicle Values

Library users often look for pricing information on new or used automobiles and other vehicles. In order to accurately gauge how much a vehicle is worth, several pieces of information are needed: make and model, year, mileage, condition, and special features.

The Kelley Blue Book has been a fixture in libraries for some time as a source of information about the value of new and used vehicles. Armed with the above pieces of information, a library user can obtain a very close estimate of the value of their car, truck, or recreational vehicle. Kelley Blue Book is available both in print (updated six times a year, with separate subscriptions to volumes covering new, recent, older, and "classic" model years) and on the Internet at kbb.com. At this time, only new and used (back 20 years) car information is available on the web. Information on older cars, recreational vehicles (motorcycles, snowmobiles, and jet skis), and motor homes is only available in print.

Other websites that also provide vehicle price information are:

Other websites of interest to people in the market for a used car are those that allow you to enter a vehicle's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number, unique for every vehicle) and retrieve information such as multiple previous owners, potential odometer fraud, major accident damage, whether the car has been stolen, or used in insurance fraud. Two such sites are:

There is also an equivalent to the Kelley Blue Book for boats, called the BUC Used Boat Price Guide. Not many libraries subscribe to this, but there is an online version at bucvalue.com. Users have to register (free).

Vehicle Safety

Safercar.gov is a site from the U.S. government where you can see safety ratings for tires and airbags, crash test and rollover data, and fuel economy ratings. You can also check for ongoing investigations and recalls and file a complaint.

Vehicle Repair

The public library continues to be a primary resource for "do-it-your-selfers," especially those who attempt to maintain and repair on their own vehicle. Often the library user who is repairing their vehicle will have a clear idea what information they need, and all that is required from you is to hand them the manual that covers their type of vehicle and repair. Using a repair manual is fairly straightforward, provided you begin by carefully examining the table of contents. To locate the appropriate manual and to locate the needed repair information in it, the following information will be required:

  • The year that the vehicle was manufactured. Auto repair resources in print usually cover a single year or a specific range of years.
  • Was the vehicle manufactured in the U.S.("domestic") or outside of the U.S. ("import")?
  • Is the vehicle an automobile, a truck, a sports utility vehicle, or a van? There are usually separate sources for repair of different types of vehicles. In the case of trucks, some publishers differentiate between "light trucks" (weighing less than 14,000 pounds) and "heavy trucks."
  • You will need to know the make and model of the vehicle: e.g. Ford Aerostar, Toyota Celica, Dodge Dakota, etc.
  • What kinds of repairs are needed? Be aware that there are some resources that deal with specific repair needs, such as wiring diagrams, emission systems (vacuum hose diagrams), transmissions, or air conditioning. These will be discussed further below. Repair manuals also generally cover only mechanical and electrical repairs. If the library user is looking for body repair, it will probably have to be found in a book dealing just with that.

Other information you may need to know:

  • Engine size
  • Body type
  • Transmission type
  • Fuel type

Auto Repair Manuals

The differences among the many auto repair manuals can be characterized in two ways: differences in scope (what it covers) and differences in the intended audience (who will likely be using the manual).

The main distinction that we will be making in scope is between the large, general manuals that cover a range of models in a single volume, and those manuals that focus on a particular model. In the first type, the information is necessarily condensed.

The scope should be clear from its title:

  • Motor Heavy Truck Repair Manual 1977-86 (general coverage of a specific class of truck)
  • Ford Aerostar 1986-96 Repair Manual (specific model)

The difference with regard to the intended user of the manual is, as you might expect, between the expert auto mechanic and the non-professional average user. Manuals written for the average user make an effort to guide them through the procedures, using more thorough instructions and lots of illustrations and diagrams. These manuals often can be checked out, so the library user can use them at home.

These are publishers of repair manuals you are likely to see in the library:

  • Mitchell: These are the most detailed and technical of the repair manuals that you will find in the library—"designed for easy use by a professional mechanic." Today, Mitchell manuals covering a single year of domestic and import cars and trucks include dozens of volumes, several for electrical components alone. Mitchell manuals were published under the title "National Service Data" until the mid-1970s. Volumes under the "National Service Data" title cover vehicles manufactured as early as the 1920's. These are normally found in larger libraries. If your branch does not carry these, check to see if a larger branch in your system does. There is also a subscription database called MitchellOne.com that contains much of this information. Because their primary market is to repair shops and dealers, no remote access is allowed; users have to use it in the library.

  • Motor: The most common Motor manuals cover a range of years or models in a single volume. The information is simplified to fit into this condensed format. There are Motor manuals for vehicles as early as the 1930's.

  • Chilton: Chilton publishes large manuals with condensed format—similar to Motor—as well as manuals for specific vehicles for their repair at home. They generally have excellent illustrations, but lack some of the detail contained in Mitchell's. There is also a subscription database to the Chilton material through Gale. Remote access is available.

  • Clymer and Haynes are two other publishers of do-it-at-home repair that cover specific models.

  • Alldata.com is another subscription database aimed at repair shops and dealers. Like the Mitchell database, no remote access is allowed.

Other Types of Repair Manuals

Specific Repair Needs
There are repair manuals and other resources that are created for specific repair needs. These are the most commonly requested topics:

Wiring Diagrams
These diagrams show the layout of the wiring in a particular vehicle. These are not found in all manuals. For example, Mitchell general repair manuals for the 1960's into the 1990's contain wiring diagrams while Motor and Chilton general repair manuals typically do not. Chilton and Motor published separate books of wiring diagrams. As the electronics used in vehicles becomes increasingly complex, the number of wiring diagrams for a single vehicle increases as well. The library user usually expects a single wiring diagram for their vehicle. For models manufactured before the 90's, this is usually what you will find. However, for vehicles manufactured after this time, there are usually multiple pages of diagrams, often found throughout the manual. In this case you will need to know more specifically what component(s) the library user is working on.

Emission Control/Vacuum Diagrams
Also called "vacuum circuits" or "vacuum hose routing," these diagrams show the hose routing for the vehicle's vacuum system. Manuals that contain vacuum diagrams may say so in the title, but often manuals dealing specifically with "emission control" will be your source for these diagrams.

There are also manuals dealing specifically with transmission, air conditioning, and heating repairs. Body repair is also generally covered in separate manuals from mechanical repair.

Shop Manuals

A shop manual is produced by the manufacturer of a vehicle to give complete service and repair information for that vehicle. A couple of examples are:

  • 1965 Comet, Falcon, Fairlane and Mustang shop manual. Dearborn, Mich. : Service Dept., Ford Division, Ford Motor Co., 1964. 1964.
  • Dodge truck "P" series shop manual. Detroit, Mich. : Dodge Division, Chrysler Corp., [1959]. [1959].

Their titles may use the phrase "service manual" rather than "shop manual," but what makes these distinct from other repair manuals is that they are published by the manufacturer of the vehicle, and they cover a specific year and model (or two or three models). These typically will include more illustrations, diagrams, tables, step-by-step instructions, etc. than the manuals by other publishers. However, these are not commonly owned by public libraries. You can quickly determine if your library or library system has the shop manual for a specific vehicle by searching the catalog.

Locating the Sources in Your Library

Your library's catalog is the most important tool you have for locating repair information in your library. If you are familiar with the subject headings commonly used for the different types of repair manuals, you will be able to identify those books in the collection with a few precise subject keyword searches.

As was stated earlier, the scope or coverage of repair manuals varies from general to specific in the years covered, the models covered, and the types of repairs covered. Any of these could contain repair information useful to the library user, so be sure your search targets each level of specificity.

It pays to search for all of these. Your library may have only one of the three, or the specific information that the library user needs may be in only one (i.e. the one that has the illustration or diagram that makes all the difference to the library user).

Subject Headings

The proper subject heading for any auto repair manual will include "Maintenance and repair" or "Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc."

General repair manuals, such as Chilton's truck, van & SUV repair manual, 2001, will typically use a general term combined with the "Maintenance and repair" heading:

  • Vans -- Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
  • Trucks -- Maintenance and repair
  • Sport utility vehicles -- Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Specific make/model repair manuals, such as Chilton's Ford pick-ups and Bronco 1987-96 repair manual, will typically use the name of the manufacturer or the specific model:

  • Bronco truck -- Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
  • Ford trucks -- Maintenance and repair

Specific type of repair manuals, such as Air conditioning & heating service & repair. Domestic vehicles, will use subject headings such as these:

  • Automobiles -- Air conditioning -- Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
  • Trucks -- Heating and ventilation -- Maintenance and repair -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.

Do you have to memorize these subject headings? No! Fortunately, there is a simple search strategy for locating books with these subject headings: the type of vehicle + "repair" or the type of repair + "repair."

"toyota corolla repair"
"air conditioning repair"

Special Situations

Restoration

In this case, the library user is not only interested in making their vehicle run; she would also like to restore it to its original condition. Repair manuals can be found for vehicles manufactured as early as the 1930's or earlier, so do not hesitate to check your catalog just because the library user's vehicle seems too old. Also look for books specifically for the restoration of vintage automobiles, using "restoration" as a subject or title keyword: e.g. "ford restoration." The web makes it easy for restoration enthusiasts to exchange information. Use a search engine to search for the year and make of the vehicle and scan the results for restoration clubs, websites of individuals who are showcasing their projects, parts and manuals for sale, discussion forums, and other resources. This is an excellent way to locate others with similar restoration projects.

Other Types of Vehicles

Using similar processes as those described for automobiles, you should be able to locate repair information for most models of motorcycles. There is repair information for specific models of heavy-duty trucks and farm tractors, but these sorts of manuals are less common in small libraries. There are repair guides of a much more general nature for recreational vehicles (motor homes, etc); manuals for specific models are rare. Repair manuals for boats are also hard to come by.

Shopping for Manuals Online

If the repair information for the library user's vehicle cannot be found in your library or library system, and requesting it from another library through interlibrary loan is not an option, the library user still has the option of purchasing a manual. This is the best chance for the library user to obtain the shop manual for his vehicle. There are several online retailers that specifically sell shop manuals and other repair manuals. These are a few to start with:

Other online used booksellers will have some repair manuals as well. For example:

A key word search using a search engine like Google may turn up other sources. For example, search for 1965 mustang and "shop manual" or "repair manual" or "service manual."

Manuals covering vehicle repair differ in their coverage of type and year of vehicle, which systems in the vehicle are dealt with, and the level of detail provided. Get to know your own collection.

Antiques, Collectibles, and Art

Overview

In this section you will learn to locate and use guides to antiques and collectibles. These are resources used to learn what is involved in the collecting of a certain type of item and how to identify specific items. You will learn to locate information to help judge the value of an antique or collectible item. We will conclude with a special section on works of art, which includes how to locate biographical information on an artist.

Antiques and Collectibles

Antiques and collectibles are easily grouped together because they both are items that people acquire for reasons other than their practical use, and usually it is hoped that they will have a dollar value more than what they had when they were first produced. Be aware that this will not necessarily be the case.

They differ in that an antique may be valued by itself because it is old; whereas a collectible is owned as a part of a collection. It may be an antique, but not necessarily so. But they often overlap, and both terms will be used in this text more or less interchangeably.

Common examples of antique and collectible items: coins and stamps, baseball cards and memorabilia, porcelain/ceramics/pottery/china, furniture, bottles, dolls, comics, old west items, star wars, happy meal toys.

Examples of more esoteric antique and collectible items: lighters, doorstops, toasters, nails, paperweights, fishing tackle, slot machines, paper clips.

Typically, the library user will have an item, or collection of items, and they will want to know what it is worth. Sometimes they will want a "history" of the item. This may require getting a better idea what the item is; that is, when it was made, where it was made, what it is made of, and by whom. If it is at all possible, have the user provide a picture of the item. If it is three-dimensional, pictures from all angles (including the bottom) are best.

Look for manufacturer information. In some cases this will be in the form of a mark or a signature, as with porcelain or dolls. These are often found on the bottom of the item. There are resources that will identify marks, telling you who made the item, where it was made, and approximately when. Otherwise, look for the manufacturer's (or publisher's) name. If this information does not appear on the item, you will have to identify it based on a description or image found in an antique or collectible guide.

Web Resources

The best resource for learning about a collectible item is an expert: an individual or organization that has knowledge and experience related to that type of collectible. Often, your search will eventually become an effort to identify an expert for you or your library user to contact. Antiques experts are almost always willing to tell you what they know. The most efficient way to identify and get in contact with an expert is through the Internet. A good starting point is an association, organization or club. If you do not have access to the Encyclopedia of Associations, or subscribe to a magazine that might have classified ads in it to identify associations in the field, you can use key words associated with the item plus the word association, society, or organization in a search engine. See if the organization has a list of helpful links. If an organization search doesn't get you anywhere, try those key words with words like collecting, collectible, or collection. You will probably get more than one commercial site, but you might also end up with the web page of an individual expert or enthusiast. Many have their own web pages, often with valuable information. Best of all, experts who have web pages will usually provide email addresses. Be sure to note any conditions they set about contacting them before you do, such as "we do not do appraisals by email." It is generally a good idea to identify yourself as someone in a public library, trying to help someone else.

One of the best resources for identifying organizations and individuals who specialize in collecting is "Maloney's Antiques and Collectibles Resource Directory," which is in its sixth edition in print. The fifth edition can be searched online for free at maloneysonline.com. Maloney's will list experts, appraisers, dealers, collector organizations, museums, etc. for just about any type of collectible. The contact information provided includes email addresses and websites for those that have them. This is a great place to start.

If the information that the library user provides, or that the item provides, is specific enough, try searching the web using a search engine. This may turn up a collector's website, an item for sale, or some other web page that will have additional information about that item.

Some examples of specific information:

  • A piece of china with "Avon Cottage" and "Thomas Hughes & Sons, Ltd" on the back
  • A print of an Indian maiden by the artist Charles Relyea
  • A 1952 Ford 8N Tractor
  • Baby grand piano with the name Newton, New York and a number -- 37737

Using the "image search" of a search engine is sometimes a quick way to locate information about your item. Use specific key words like "avon cottage" or "1952 ford tractor." Try different combinations, using more or fewer keywords to vary your results. Sometimes you will spot your item right away.

Antiques and Collectibles Guides in Print

Guides for collecting a certain kind of item will generally contain one or more of the following types of information: the how-to of collecting that item, identification information, and price information.

Books

Examples:

  • McCollecting: The Illustrated Price Guide to McDonalds Collectibles by Gary Henriques & Audre DuVall (1992)
  • Stemware of the 20th Century: the Top 200 Patterns by Harry L. Rinker (1997)
  • Pictorial Price Guide To Metal Lunch Boxes & Thermoses by Larry Aikins (1992)
  • Romantic Staffordshire Ceramics by Jeffrey B. Snyder (1997)

Look for books in your library's catalog about the collecting that type of item. These books will often contain many photographs that you can browse to help you identify items similar, or exactly like, your library user's item. Also, look for general information in the introduction to these books that can give you some background and help to get you oriented about this type of collectible. Look in the back of the book for lists of related resources: books, periodicals, organizations, and websites.

The subject headings used in the catalog for these books usually contain the term "Collectors and Collecting" combined with a term for the type of collectible it is; like "Advertising drinking glasses -- Collectors and collecting." The subject heading "Antiques" may also be used. "Antique" is a good keyword to search in the title, or to use in a general keyword search.

Periodicals

Examples:

  • Special Interest Autos
  • Autograph Collector
  • Man at Arms: the NRA Journal for the American Arms Collector
  • Bank Note Reporter: Complete Monthly Guide for Paper Money Collectors
  • TAMS Journal: Token and Medal Society, Inc.

There is a magazine or newsletter for every conceivable kind of collectible. For the more obscure items, such as tokens, sewing machines, or horseless carriages, these are usually the publication of a club or organization dedicated to collecting that item. It is in publications like these that you might find a detailed article about your type of collectible. Unfortunately, these magazines are not often indexed; finding information in them can be a shot in the dark. Sometimes an annual index will appear in one of the issues or an index can be found at the organization's website.

Values

Ultimately, the monetary value of an antique or collectible item is just how much someone is willing to pay for it. We can get an idea how much someone is likely to pay for an item by finding out how much they are selling for. Any value information that you find for an antique or collectible is based on this.

General Price Guides

General price guides include the whole spectrum of antique and collectible items, listing specific pieces and how much they sell for. Chances are, you will not find the specific item that you are looking for; rather, use these guides to find prices for items that are similar to your item. These guides will usually have a helpful introduction to each category, sometimes with a list of books and organizations for further reference. This is often a good place to start.

Most common price guides:

  • Kovel's Antiques & Collectibles Price List
  • Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide
  • Warman's Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide

Price Guides to Specific Types of Antiques and Collectibles

You will find price information included in many "guides to collecting" as described earlier, and you will find price information in books for that purpose alone. You may locate these price guides in your collection using the catalog in the same way as described before for collecting guides. To be certain that the guide contains price information, use "prices" as one of your subject heading search terms. This will match subject headings like "Comic books, strips, etc. - Prices" or "Indians of North America -- Antiquities -- Collectors and collecting - Prices." Ideally the price guide will include illustrations for easy identification.

Auction Websites

Since the value of an item is based on what someone else is willing to pay for it at the moment, checking an online auction site is a good idea. Here are some you can try.

Valuation by a Professional

Some auction houses offer a free auction estimate from their site. Sotheby's (search.sothebys.com/about/contact/as_auctionest.html) offers a service which also includes an explanation of the difference between an auction estimate and an appraisal. (Basically, the auction estimate is a range amount which the piece might fetch at auction, and an appraisal is an official document used for tax, insurance and loan purposes, and is always based on an in-person inspection.)

Art Works

Works of art—paintings, prints, sculptures, etc.—are a special type of collectible, because there is an entire class of resources available to assess their history and value. Artists—in terms of the availability of information—range from Picasso to your next door neighbor. Most often the library user's artist will be closer to the next-door-neighbor end of the scale. In this case, finding information about the artist can be very challenging, and finding information on which to base a value, even more so.

Biographical Information

There are many excellent resources for finding artist biographical information that come in the form of a biographical dictionary or directory. There are even indexes that index hundreds of these biographical dictionaries and other sources. These are some typical examples of artist biographical dictionaries:

  • Who's Who in American Art
  • North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century (Heller)
  • Artists of the American West (Ostrander)
  • Artists in California, 1786-1940 (Hughes)

The subject keywords to use when searching the catalog for biographical dictionaries of artists are: "artists" and "dictionaries," or "artists" and "directories."

A search for biographical information on an artist usually involves looking through many of these dictionaries. The search would be most successful in a library with a large collection. If your collection is limited, consider referring the user to a larger library.

There are some good artist biographical resources on the web that can be used at any location:

  • Art Cyclopedia (artcyclopedia.com) — for more widely known artists.
  • Ask ART (askart.com) — excellent for American artists; includes bibliography for many artists.
  • Artnet (artnet.com) — for currently working artists.
  • Getty Union List of Artist Names (www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/ulan) — a very large database of international artist names; more likely to include lesser-known artists; includes some references to other sources.
  • World Wide Arts Resources (wwar.com) — including over 22,000 artist biographies and a searchable image gallery.

Remember: often the library user's knowledge of the name of the artist comes from his or her signature on their work of art. If the signature is difficult to read, the library user's spelling may not be correct.

Periodical Literature

There are dozens of magazines about art and artists. These are thoroughly indexed by Wilson's Art Index—even the advertisements showing an artist's work. If you do not have Art Index at your library, use the magazine indexes and databases that are available to you. Chances are they index some art magazines. Listings in art periodicals of galleries can also be useful contacts.

Auction Prices in Print

As with other antiques and collectible items, the value of a work of art is judged by how much other works like it are selling for - especially other works by the same artist. There are several sources that list the prices at auction for an artist's work. Here are some of the most widely used price guides in print:

  • The art sales index
  • Art price indicator international
  • Davenport's art reference & price guide
  • Gordon's print price annual

To locate these in your library, use "art" and "prices" as subject key words when searching your catalog; or check the shelves under 707.5 for fine art and 769 - 769.12 for prints.

Auction Prices on the Web

Many of the well-known auction price sources have searchable databases online which can be accessed by subscription only. There is a good chance that you will find a print for sale on an auction website like eBay, or one of the hundreds of online art print retailers (too many to list here). Individual gallery websites are also sources of price information. Use a search engine to search the artist's name and you might find other works for sale to judge its value.

Original vs. Reproduction

Be sure to clarify with the library user whether their work of art is an original work, or a reproduction. You will have an easier time finding information about a item that was reproduced in large numbers, e.g. prints, posters, sculptures, etc. Those items that that were reproduced in limited numbers are most likely to be worth something.

Valuation of antiques, collectibles, and art is a tricky business. Unless you are a professional, the valuation you find will be an estimate only, based on what someone else has paid for a similar item. The best scenario is to put library users in contact with an expert or society of experts on the type of piece they seek to value.

What to Do Next

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