Delivery:
CMRLS Delivery policy
Delivery
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CMRLS Regional Delivery Policy
Regional delivery services provide the infrastructure that supports resource sharing within the Central Region and throughout the State. CMRLS provides a variety of delivery services to all member libraries in order to facilitate the movement of materials from one library to another and therefore encourages the sharing of materials between libraries. The ultimate beneficiaries of this cooperative effort are the communities that are served by the public, school, academic and special library members of CMRLS.
All libraries receiving regional delivery service must loan materials to all regional member libraries at no charge. Libraries must also agree to respond to regional requests for the collection of delivery data.
CMRLS delivery services fall into three categories: regular scheduled delivery, delivery on demand and the Member to Member Mailer program.
Regular Scheduled Delivery
Many CMRLS members receive delivery on a predetermined schedule. This schedule varies from daily delivery, Monday through Saturday, to delivery once per week. CMRLS contracts with a commercial courier for all delivery services.
In many cases, school libraries use a convenient public library to drop off and pick up materials. This cooperative agreement helps CMRLS stretch its delivery budget. These arrangements are greatly appreciated where they work for both parties.
Requesting Regular Scheduled Delivery
In responding to a library’s request to be added to the regular delivery schedule or to increase the number of delivery stops per week, both the regional delivery budget and real or anticipated volume are considered.
Occasions when empty or near-empty totes are picked up and delivered are clearly not the best use of regional delivery dollars. CMRLS has, therefore, developed the following criteria to evaluate volume:
Minimum of 10 items per week: 1 time per week
Minimum of 20 items per week: 2 times per week
Minimum of 30 items per week: 3 times per week
Minimum of 40 items per week: 4 times per week
Minimum of 50 items per week: 5 times per week
Delivery volume minimums will be determined using the following criteria:
- Results of the biannual (March and October) delivery survey. Counts will be performed by members and by CMRLS delivery staff to evaluate volume
- Regional statistics for ILLs
- C/W MARS statistics as appropriate
Other delivery methods will be evaluated for sites with fewer than 10 items per week.
Delivery on Demand
Delivery on demand services are provided to members on an as needed basis. The primary use of delivery on demand is to transport deposit collections to and from the region. Delivery on demand requests are evaluated on the basis of volume. CMRLS staff will evaluate the amount of material to be either delivered or returned and decide whether the volume warrants a delivery on demand stop. Because premium rates are charged for these unscheduled stops, CMRLS staff may ask members to mail items or arrange for a delivery of the materials through a public library.
Please contact CMRLS delivery staff with questions.
Member to Member Mailing Program
In cases where delivery volume does not qualify for a regular scheduled stop or is not cost effective to warrant a delivery on demand stop, CMRLS provides an alternative method for members to mail items to other regional members. The M3 (Member to Member Mailer) Program provides a mailer kit to participating libraries that contains:
10 jiffy bags of various sizes
Adequate postage to mail seven one-pound books and three two-pound books
10 return address labels with the library’s information
10 blank address labels
A log sheet on which the librarian will record the destination, postage and mail date of each envelope shipped through the program.
When members need more supplies, they return their log sheet to CMRLS. New mail supplies will be shipped in return. Mailed items should be returned by mail.
CMRLS Labeling and Packaging Guidelines
All items sent through the regional delivery system must be correctly labeled and packaged.
Libraries must use regional routing slips and consult the Massachusetts Statewide Routing Directory at http://www.bpl.org/brls/Delivery.htm for proper addressing of these slips.
Routing slips should be secured with an elastic band. Staples, while convenient, often cause injury and are therefore not permitted. There must be one label per item placed into delivery unless the materials are sealed in a package or bundled.
Proper packaging of the items is also required. Rare or fragile items or materials deemed valuable or irreplaceable should be placed in a padded bag.
Approved by the CMRLS Executive Board on March 14, 2002.
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