In the current debates about "reengineering" the library the primary focus has been on costs and organizational issues in technical services. The "outsourcing" of technical services functions has profound implications for collection managers as the library approval plan is frequently at the core of support services sought from booksellers. The traditional approval plan offers most of the features necessary to preserve the integrity of the collection management function, but vendors and library selectors need to reexamine priorities and perspectives in the new organizational climate.