In late summer of 2014, there was an exchange on the SERIALST listserv about why libraries would or should pay a service charge to work with subscription agents rather than order directly from publishers. The Swets Information Services bankruptcy was announced in September, impacting libraries, publishers, and others in the supply chain. The speakers explore the advantages of using an agent for both libraries and publishers and reported on the responses to a survey sent to various communities regarding the use of subscription agents. An analysis of the Swets bankruptcy illustrates some strategies that librarians can use to assess an agent’s financial health as well as gauge the quality of service.