A 'vendor' is any entity that produces networking or computing technology, and is responsible for the technical content of that technology Examples of 'technology' include hardware (desktop computers, routers, switches, etc ), and software (operating systems, mail forwarding systems, etc ) Note that the supplier of a technology is not necessarily the ' vendor' of that technology As an example, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) might supply routers to each of its customers, but the 'vendor' is the manufacturer, since the manufacturer, rather than the ISP, is the entity responsible for the technical content of the router
"Middle man" distributor through which the library obtains books, serials, etc instead of dealing with publisher directly Vendors facilitate the acquisitions process by allowing the library to consolidate orders, receipts, invoices, and customer service
A person or an organization that provides software and/or hardware and/or firmware and/or documentation to the user for a fee or in exchange for services Such a firm could be a medical device manufacturer [10]