An automated system for assisting libraries and vendors with selection and acquisition of materials. Communications between vendors and libraries are accomplished through a networked computer library service. Material vendors send notification items to the computer library service for distribution to selectors at member libraries. The computer library service loads the vendor notification items for each library into a selection application. Librarians involved in materials selection for their libraries access the selection application to view notification records comprising notification items for their collection areas. Selectors take actions on notification records such as selecting, rejecting, forwarding, or deferring them. Library acquisitions staff export selected notification records, load them into each library's integrated library system, and complete the order electronically from the integrated library system. The library's holding symbol is automatically set on a corresponding computer library service bibliographic database record for the item to note addition of the item to library's holdings.