 Delivery
Criteria
LTLS delivery is based on volume; volume is defined as patron-utilized materials (interlibrary loaned or reciprocal return materials). The number of delivery stops a library receives per week is based on volume of these materials delivered to an individual agency in the past year. When libraries participate in community stops (one stop for all libraries in a community), volume for all participants is totaled to determine number of weekly stops.
IHLS delivery staff counts the number of actual items delivered to every library every day. In FY2010 (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010), LTLS delivered over 1,031,000 items, or an average of more than 3,900 items per day. Over the last 3 years, delivery volume increased 30%.
Because schools are open 9 months per year, school members' delivery volume is prorated to determine volume as if the library was actually open 12 months. This count is used to place the school libraries in the appropriate volume category.
Scheduled
Stops Versus Alternative Delivery Stops
Libraries fall into two categories for delivery - scheduled or alternative delivery. Scheduled libraries have higher volume and receive delivery on the days scheduled: 5 days, 4 days, 3 days, or 2 days per week. Scheduled libraries do not have to request delivery.
Alternative delivery libraries receive delivery on particular days if an item is either waiting at the Champaign Office to be delivered or if the library requests a delivery because an item is waiting at the library. Alternative delivery libraries qualify for up to 2 days a week. In the event that a library's volume is extremely low delivery, IHLS may utilize mail for delivery.
Community Access Terminal (CAT) Stop
Libraries have the option to collaborate with other libraries in their area to form a Community Access Terminal (CAT) stop. The advantage of a CAT is that libraries may increase the delivery frequency for materials, particularly for those libraries that have low volume.
CATs have a single drop off/pickup location and the delivery frequency is based on the total delivery volume for all members of the CAT. The drop off/pickup location for any CAT is determined by the participants in that community. However, the staff of the lower-volume library must travel to the neighboring library to pick up materials. Materials delivery to CATs will be in individual containers for each library. CATs must make a commitment for one year. Notify the IHLS delivery department if you are interested in forming a CAT and to determine overall delivery volume for the group.
Delivery
Limitations
The following limitations
apply to theIHLS Delivery service.
•Illinois Heartland
drivers will deliver and pick up at one designated exchange point for
each library agency or community stop (a library agency may be a 1-building library,
a school district with multiple buildings, or a 2-building campus or one stop in a community with multiple libraries). The
designated exchange point must be as close as possible to the
Delivery van parking area.
•IHLS Delivery
service does not deliver non-library materials to libraries
•IHLS Delivery is able to deliver, on a limited basis, rotating collections (specific collections that are purchased by a group) that move between libraries. These deliveries will only happen on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday (lower volume days).
•Donated materials
cannot be routed through the IHLS Delivery service. If a library
wishes to donate materials to another library, the libraries
involved need to be willing to deliver or pickup materials themselves.
•Delivery to
schools will be made to the school office. With the many security restrictions in school buildings, the IHLS drivers will no longer traverse the building to a drop-off point that is not the office.
•Delivery canvas
bags, boxes, or parcels must not weigh in excess of 40 pounds each or be overfilled. IHLS
drivers will refuse bags that weigh more than 40 pounds or are overfilled.
Library
Responsibilities
The
success of the IHLS Delivery Service depends on assistance of the
LTLS member libraries. With
increases in volume, the Delivery Service must be more and more efficient and libraries must take on additional work in preparing items for delivery.
There are several things that libraries are required to do to help the Delivery Service work successfully for all.
•Libraries are required to bundle and pre-sort materials within each bag and to mark bag handles with the following codes. One of the following 3 code types should be attached to a label on each bag handle.
- 'XXX' (the 3-letter code for one library) - on the handle of the bag, indicate the 3-letter code for one library when all items in the bag are going to only that one library.
An example would be 'CHN' when all items in the bag are going to CHN. When all items are going to one location, the individual items in the bag do not require additional labels.
- 'MIX' - on the handle of the bag, use the code 'MIX' when items within a bag are going to multiple locations.
In each MIX bag, each location's materials should be sorted and rubber-banded together, with a label under the rubber band indicating the location, and placed together in the bag.
For example, if Paxton Public Library has 10 items in their delivery bag (4 for Champaign Public, 2 for Urbana Free Library, 2 for Danville Public, and 2 for Champaign Schools), each location's materials should be rubber-banded together and placed in the bag, with a label on each group of rubber-banded materials indicating the 'transit to' location. A 'MIX' label should be on the handle of the bag.
- 'DOG' - Delivery on the Go/Down the Route
For high volume stops with a separate 'DOG' canvas bag, on the handle of the bag use the code 'DOG' (Delivery on the Go) for bags of mixed materials sorted for 'delivery on the go/down the route' locations (where single or banded groups of items are going to many locations on the same route). Do not include materials for libraries that are not 'down the route' in that bag.
- If your library does not have a 'DOG' canvas bag, mark the book routing label with the agency code and the code: 'DOG'. Place 'DOG' books on top of the canvas bag. Each group of materials for an individual location should be rubber-banded together, with a label on each item indicating the 'transit to' location.
If bag handles are not marked according to the above codes, and materials are not pre-sorted by your library, the materials will not be picked up. If libraries do not have enough bags to pre-sort materials, please send email to: delivery@lincolntrail.info
IHLS will not supply bag labels or rubber bands. Libraries can either purchase labels through a library supplier or create their own by stapling a strip of paper around the bag handle. Rubber bands should be at least 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch in width.
Watch this helpful video that demonstrates proper pre-sorting techniques: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGtmjNgVPsA
•Be sure to write
legibly when routing materials. Many of the codes/library names
are similar, and analyzing poor handwriting slows down the process
of sorting.
•Utilize receipt
printers to print out transit information. LINC libraries are encouraged
to use receipt printers to print out "hold"
and "transit slips." These slips can then be taped to gold
delivery bands. This cuts down on the amount of time that a library
has to spend writing out information. Transit slips also provide
the entire name of the library instead of just the 3-letter code.
•Canvas bags will be provided to libraries. Delivery bags should be at the exchange point by 8:00 a.m. Remove all items from delivery bags before the next delivery. Return all extra empty canvas bags back to Lincoln Trail in the next delivery. Extra canvas bags will not be provided for multiple intra-agency delivery stops. All delivery bags, filled or empty, are to be left at the delivery exchange point on delivery days.
•Canvas bags
should be packed in a neat fashion--larger items on the bottom, smaller
on the top. Books are to be packed side-by-side, perpendicular to the
direction of the bag handle. LTLS drivers will refuse to pickup
improperly packed bags.
•If delivery
is made during closed library hours, a key to the delivery site
must be provided so IHLS can provide guaranteed delivery service
when libraries are closed.
•Libraries should
schedule use of library materials in a manner that allows the timely
return of these materials to the lending agency.
•IHLS should
be notified 3 business days before library closings due to holidays
or vacations and as soon as possible due to weather related conditions.
How To Request Alternative Delivery (Alternative Delivery Libraries Only)
Alternative delivery libraries needing delivery will follow the steps outlined below. Library staff can contact IHLS delivery if pickup is needed on a given day and the library has at least one resource-sharing item ready to be picked up. Delivery requests made before 7:00 a.m. will get same-day delivery, providing that is the library's delivery day. Delivery requests made after 7:00 a.m. will be processed the following morning, excluding weekends.
1. Request delivery
using this online Request Form,
OR
2. E-mail LTLS at delivery@lincolntrail.info requesting
a pickup. Provide the library name, 3-letter agency code, number
of items to be picked up, and your name, OR
3. Call 217-352-0047.
Ask for Ext. 290 or follow the voice mail prompts. Provide the library
name, 3-letter agency code, number of items to be picked up, and your
name.
How
To Print Delivery Bands
Templates for printing
the delivery bands on 8 1/2 x 14 (legal) or 11
x 17 (tabloid) gold paper are available. Be sure to select the
paper size from "page setup" or the print screen and also
set "paper scaling"
to "none" on the print screen.
Items
Missing in Transit
If an item is in
transit to your library and you have not received it, or you
are receiving overdue notices for an item that hasn’t been returned, follow this procedure
before reporting it.
1. Check your shelves
to make sure the item was not inadvertently shelved in your collection.
2. Contact the library
that put the item in transit and ask them to do a shelf check to make
sure that the item is not at the point of origination.
Links,
Publications/Policies
L2 (Library Learning) http://www.librarylearning.info/libraries
Who
to Contact
All inquiries, questions,
and concerns about the delivery system should be e-mailed to delivery@lincolntrail.info.
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