6. Mail and Delivery - TownLife
6. Mail and Delivery Table of Contents Mail and Delivery Services: General....................................................................................................................2 Handling Mail ...................................................................................................................................................2 Regular Mail .....................................................................................................................................................2 Email.................................................................................................................................................................2 Listservs............................................................................................................................................................2 Receiving Materials - General ..............................................................................................................................4 Interlibrary Loan Mail - General ..........................................................................................................................4 The National Library Codes .................................................................................................................................4 Labels for Interlibrary Loan on NLLS Van Run ..................................................................................................4 Van Run Delivery .................................................................................................................................................4 To Send Items to NLLS Headquarters .............................................................................................................5 Delivery of Interlibrary Loans between Member Libraries of NLLS ..............................................................5 For TRAC Member Libraries ...........................................................................................................................5 Alberta Government Delivery List ...................................................................................................................5 For Libraries Outside of TRAC ........................................................................................................................6
Mail and Delivery Services: General Handling Mail One of the most important procedures in the member library is handling the mail. It is vital that you devote the proper attention to your mail/email and to any deadlines for specific items. Regular Mail Mail needs to be handled quickly and efficiently. If a deadline has been put on the correspondence for a response from you, it is very important that you do your utmost to meet that deadline. Here are some questions you should ask and hints on developing local mail procedures. When? - How often do you pick up the mail: daily? weekly? Who? - Does the same person always handle the mail? Where? - Where do you sort it? How? - How do you sort it? Handle each item of mail once if at all possible. Ensure that local procedures are developed and followed. Date stamp all your mail with the date of receipt, then sort it according to the TRAF technique: Toss, Refer, Act, File Toss - Recycle junk mail or unrequested solicitations. Ask: “What is the worst thing that could happen if I throw it out?” Refer - Delegate the work resulting from the mail: library manager, assistant, board, volunteers. Mark it with the name of the person delegated to handle it, and put it in your "out" file. Establish a hot file for Board Chairman, Treasurer, or Secretary. Act - Mark all deadlines on your office calendar, including items left “to do.” Handle what you have taken responsibility for. Fill out proper forms for statistics. Plan (programs, displays). Set out items for public use (pamphlets, bookmarks) or promotional materials (posters, flyers) for programs received from HQ or other systems. File - File items that have been dealt with, or toss if you do not need the paperwork as a backup Email Check your email every day. There may be important messages about Polaris that you need to know. Messages from legitimate email sources - especially from headquarters or the library community - are easily identified. If you do not recognize where your email is coming from, DO NOT OPEN THE MESSAGE—delete it. Listservs What is a Listserv? A listserv is a mailing list. Emails that are sent to it are broadcast to everyone on the list. Different from a forum or a newsgroup (online discussions that anyone can view), because only the individuals subscribed to the list can view the messages.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
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Subscribing to a Listserv: An email must be sent to listserv to subscribe It must be sent from the email account that you want to receive the messages Put nothing in subject line In the body type: SUBSCRIBE Listname Lastname, Firstname (e.g.: SUBSCRIBE JEROME-L Doe, Jane) You will receive a confirmation email o Keep the welcome message. It contains information on sending messages to the list, as well as unsubscribing. NLLS Listervs: Create a Yahoo ID to access the members-only sections of the listserv websites listed below. To create an ID, go to the NLLSPartners or TRACSharing website and click on ‘Sign Up’, beside ‘New User?’ You will create a login and password that allows you to access all Yahoo services. NLLSPartners Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nllspartners/ You can view messages on the website. Sign-in with Yahoo ID to access other features. Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] TRACSharing Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TRACSharing You have to sign in with a Yahoo ID to view the messages and access other features. Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] Jerome-L subscription: http://www.mailman.srv.ualberta.ca/mailman/listinfo/jerome-l Jerome is a province-wide library listserve which includes staff from public, academic and special libraries and is maintained by the School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta. Listserv Etiquette Tips: Do not post or ask questions of a list if it does not pertain to the "purpose" or subject matter of the list. Check archives (if possible) before posting a question. When you click reply it goes to the whole list, not just that person. Gauge if your answer is of interest to the whole group. If not, just email that person. Keep your welcome message and follow instructions for unsubscribing. If unsure, email the list owner not the whole list. Always include the original subject line in your replies (especially if the listserv has a high volume of traffic) Always include your contact info in your postings.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
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Receiving Materials - General Library materials are received at the member library by: System Van Delivery Government Courier Mail (Canada Post) Check in all library materials in Polaris. If the item is being returned to your library, place the item on the shelving cart for shelving. If the item is on hold for your patron, a message will appear upon check in. Follow your library’s procedures for processing the hold and contacting the patron to pick up their item. If the item is on hold for a patron belonging to another library, the item will be put In Transit at Check In and a message will tell you to send the item to the pickup location. Follow your library’s procedures for processing the hold, and send the item to the appropriate library. If the item is an ILL from outside of TRAC, the item must be processed through the Provincial Resource Sharing software – VDX. (See Interlibrary Loans, section 5, for instructions.)
Interlibrary Loan Mail - General When sending materials for purposes of interlibrary loan (ILL), please use delivery methods available in the following order: First choice – Van Run Second choice – Government Delivery Service (Courier) if available Third choice – Mail (Canada Post) When possible, try to return ILLs using the same delivery method as they were sent. If items were received via Government Courier, please return via Government Courier. If they were sent by van run, please return via van run.
The National Library Codes These are available on the Library and Archives Canada website: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/illcandirbin/illsear/l=0/c=1
Labels for Interlibrary Loan on NLLS Van Run NLLS provides labels online for your use. We update them on a regular basis. There is one library to a page and the format is different for NLLS libraries than those libraries outside of our system. Please use these labels and not ones you make on your own. This will enable the items to be sorted more quickly and reach their destinations faster. Labels can be found at: http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6997 The most efficient way to use these labels is to initially print them all, cut them, and store them alphabetically in a recipe box. It would be a good idea to use two boxes, one for NLLS libraries (which you would use most often) and another for libraries outside of our system. Pages can be printed individually to enable easy printing of the most often used labels.
Van Run Delivery To receive items from Northern Lights headquarters (NLLS HQ): NLLS driver will deliver items according to a weekly schedule provided to member libraries in advance and posted on the website. NLLS driver will drop off NLLS bins and pick up packed NLLS bins to return to NLLS HQ. Local library staff should go over any NLLS packing slip and verify that all items are accounted for and in good condition. Sign and date packing slip and return on the following week’s van run in an NLLS bin. You may also fax signed packing slip to NLLS HQ: 1-780-724-2597.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
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To Send Items to NLLS Headquarters Each member library will receive at least two (2) bins from NLLS HQ to have on hand at all times. NOTE: These bins are for use on the van run ONLY! Please do not use them for other purposes. If there are any problems with items received and/or missing from packing slip, please contact NLLS shipper immediately. In NLLS bins, pack items you are returning to NLLS HQ for staff at headquarters. All appropriate documentation should be included and indicate to whom you want this item to go. For example: o cataloguing sheet items go to Bibliographic Services o packing slips go to Bibliographic Services o blocks and kits go to Public Services In NLLS ILL bins, pack any interlibrary loans. All interlibrary loans should be packaged either in blue bags or in padded envelopes and should be addressed with proper labels available online at: http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6997 All bins must be prepared before the driver picks them up, as there will not be time to pack items at delivery time. Delivery of Interlibrary Loans between Member Libraries of NLLS To send ILL items to another library in NLLS: Determine that the library the item is to be sent to is an NLLS library Separate them from other TRAC ILLs Package items in blue bags. Batch books for the same library in a single package, regardless of whether it is an ILL from your library or a return to the other library. Always package AV separately, wrap with bubble wrap and/or cardboard, enclose in blue bag with a “Fragile” label, and place on top of book packages to avoid damages. Label the package using the labels created by NLLS (http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6997). Place packages in the NLLS-ILL bins and set aside for the next weekly van run. Remember, all bins must be prepared before the driver picks them up, as there will be no time to pack items at delivery time. If you have items to go to a library on the same van run route as your library, make sure they are CLEARLY LABELLED, and place them on top of your ILL bin. Let NLLS driver know when she arrives that the items need to be dropped off on her way that day. [Please note: This specific scenario only works when the library you are sending to is AFTER your library on the van run schedule.] Also, be sure that your van run dropoff/pick-up location is secure – we don’t want any ILLs (or anything else for that matter) taking a walk. For TRAC Member Libraries Follow instructions listed for sending an ILL between member libraries of NLLS. Insert the correct book label into a blue bag and send on van run, unless your community and the library you are sending to have government courier. Alberta Government Delivery List If you are one of the libraries that has access to Government Delivery, please note the following: If a location is on the list, you can send ILL items to them via government delivery service: please use the NLLS provide labels which includes both the library’s national code, as well as the correct shipping address. Please be sure to fill the courier bags and bins at least ¾ full. If you do not have enough materials to fill a bag or bin, wait until the next day to send out. This will alleviate some shipping costs. If a location is not on this list, please do not send the items via government courier, but send to NLLS headquarters instead. See the Appendix or the NLLS website (http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6653) for the Government Delivery Service Locations. NLLS Library Procedures Manual
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For Libraries Outside of TRAC This includes ALL those libraries that are NOT on the TRAC Polaris system; i.e. all libraries that are NOT members of Peace Library System, Northern Lights Library System, Marigold Library System or Yellowhead Regional Library. Check the item out in Polaris to the requesting library’s Polaris account. Please note that an extra 3 weeks to normal due date is automatically added to cover the shipping period, and place receipt in the book/item. If you have courier then ship out to the library if they also have courier, or to their HQ if they don’t. If you don’t have courier or if it’s a mail only library, please follow the first two steps, attach a note to the bag saying that it’s checked out to Library A in Polaris and send on your van run. Please note the list of inclusions in the Appendix and on the NLLS website: http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/5161. This is a list of items that libraries or library regions are willing to loan out on interlibrary loan. This is of particular importance to those who are managing VDX at your library. PLEASE don’t ask for items from libraries that do not normally loan out those items.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
6
Mail and Delivery Services: General Handling Mail One of the most important procedures in the member library is handling the mail. It is vital that you devote the proper attention to your mail/email and to any deadlines for specific items. Regular Mail Mail needs to be handled quickly and efficiently. If a deadline has been put on the correspondence for a response from you, it is very important that you do your utmost to meet that deadline. Here are some questions you should ask and hints on developing local mail procedures. When? - How often do you pick up the mail: daily? weekly? Who? - Does the same person always handle the mail? Where? - Where do you sort it? How? - How do you sort it? Handle each item of mail once if at all possible. Ensure that local procedures are developed and followed. Date stamp all your mail with the date of receipt, then sort it according to the TRAF technique: Toss, Refer, Act, File Toss - Recycle junk mail or unrequested solicitations. Ask: “What is the worst thing that could happen if I throw it out?” Refer - Delegate the work resulting from the mail: library manager, assistant, board, volunteers. Mark it with the name of the person delegated to handle it, and put it in your "out" file. Establish a hot file for Board Chairman, Treasurer, or Secretary. Act - Mark all deadlines on your office calendar, including items left “to do.” Handle what you have taken responsibility for. Fill out proper forms for statistics. Plan (programs, displays). Set out items for public use (pamphlets, bookmarks) or promotional materials (posters, flyers) for programs received from HQ or other systems. File - File items that have been dealt with, or toss if you do not need the paperwork as a backup Email Check your email every day. There may be important messages about Polaris that you need to know. Messages from legitimate email sources - especially from headquarters or the library community - are easily identified. If you do not recognize where your email is coming from, DO NOT OPEN THE MESSAGE—delete it. Listservs What is a Listserv? A listserv is a mailing list. Emails that are sent to it are broadcast to everyone on the list. Different from a forum or a newsgroup (online discussions that anyone can view), because only the individuals subscribed to the list can view the messages.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
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Subscribing to a Listserv: An email must be sent to listserv to subscribe It must be sent from the email account that you want to receive the messages Put nothing in subject line In the body type: SUBSCRIBE Listname Lastname, Firstname (e.g.: SUBSCRIBE JEROME-L Doe, Jane) You will receive a confirmation email o Keep the welcome message. It contains information on sending messages to the list, as well as unsubscribing. NLLS Listervs: Create a Yahoo ID to access the members-only sections of the listserv websites listed below. To create an ID, go to the NLLSPartners or TRACSharing website and click on ‘Sign Up’, beside ‘New User?’ You will create a login and password that allows you to access all Yahoo services. NLLSPartners Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nllspartners/ You can view messages on the website. Sign-in with Yahoo ID to access other features. Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] TRACSharing Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TRACSharing You have to sign in with a Yahoo ID to view the messages and access other features. Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] Jerome-L subscription: http://www.mailman.srv.ualberta.ca/mailman/listinfo/jerome-l Jerome is a province-wide library listserve which includes staff from public, academic and special libraries and is maintained by the School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta. Listserv Etiquette Tips: Do not post or ask questions of a list if it does not pertain to the "purpose" or subject matter of the list. Check archives (if possible) before posting a question. When you click reply it goes to the whole list, not just that person. Gauge if your answer is of interest to the whole group. If not, just email that person. Keep your welcome message and follow instructions for unsubscribing. If unsure, email the list owner not the whole list. Always include the original subject line in your replies (especially if the listserv has a high volume of traffic) Always include your contact info in your postings.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
3
Receiving Materials - General Library materials are received at the member library by: System Van Delivery Government Courier Mail (Canada Post) Check in all library materials in Polaris. If the item is being returned to your library, place the item on the shelving cart for shelving. If the item is on hold for your patron, a message will appear upon check in. Follow your library’s procedures for processing the hold and contacting the patron to pick up their item. If the item is on hold for a patron belonging to another library, the item will be put In Transit at Check In and a message will tell you to send the item to the pickup location. Follow your library’s procedures for processing the hold, and send the item to the appropriate library. If the item is an ILL from outside of TRAC, the item must be processed through the Provincial Resource Sharing software – VDX. (See Interlibrary Loans, section 5, for instructions.)
Interlibrary Loan Mail - General When sending materials for purposes of interlibrary loan (ILL), please use delivery methods available in the following order: First choice – Van Run Second choice – Government Delivery Service (Courier) if available Third choice – Mail (Canada Post) When possible, try to return ILLs using the same delivery method as they were sent. If items were received via Government Courier, please return via Government Courier. If they were sent by van run, please return via van run.
The National Library Codes These are available on the Library and Archives Canada website: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/illcandirbin/illsear/l=0/c=1
Labels for Interlibrary Loan on NLLS Van Run NLLS provides labels online for your use. We update them on a regular basis. There is one library to a page and the format is different for NLLS libraries than those libraries outside of our system. Please use these labels and not ones you make on your own. This will enable the items to be sorted more quickly and reach their destinations faster. Labels can be found at: http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6997 The most efficient way to use these labels is to initially print them all, cut them, and store them alphabetically in a recipe box. It would be a good idea to use two boxes, one for NLLS libraries (which you would use most often) and another for libraries outside of our system. Pages can be printed individually to enable easy printing of the most often used labels.
Van Run Delivery To receive items from Northern Lights headquarters (NLLS HQ): NLLS driver will deliver items according to a weekly schedule provided to member libraries in advance and posted on the website. NLLS driver will drop off NLLS bins and pick up packed NLLS bins to return to NLLS HQ. Local library staff should go over any NLLS packing slip and verify that all items are accounted for and in good condition. Sign and date packing slip and return on the following week’s van run in an NLLS bin. You may also fax signed packing slip to NLLS HQ: 1-780-724-2597.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
4
To Send Items to NLLS Headquarters Each member library will receive at least two (2) bins from NLLS HQ to have on hand at all times. NOTE: These bins are for use on the van run ONLY! Please do not use them for other purposes. If there are any problems with items received and/or missing from packing slip, please contact NLLS shipper immediately. In NLLS bins, pack items you are returning to NLLS HQ for staff at headquarters. All appropriate documentation should be included and indicate to whom you want this item to go. For example: o cataloguing sheet items go to Bibliographic Services o packing slips go to Bibliographic Services o blocks and kits go to Public Services In NLLS ILL bins, pack any interlibrary loans. All interlibrary loans should be packaged either in blue bags or in padded envelopes and should be addressed with proper labels available online at: http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6997 All bins must be prepared before the driver picks them up, as there will not be time to pack items at delivery time. Delivery of Interlibrary Loans between Member Libraries of NLLS To send ILL items to another library in NLLS: Determine that the library the item is to be sent to is an NLLS library Separate them from other TRAC ILLs Package items in blue bags. Batch books for the same library in a single package, regardless of whether it is an ILL from your library or a return to the other library. Always package AV separately, wrap with bubble wrap and/or cardboard, enclose in blue bag with a “Fragile” label, and place on top of book packages to avoid damages. Label the package using the labels created by NLLS (http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6997). Place packages in the NLLS-ILL bins and set aside for the next weekly van run. Remember, all bins must be prepared before the driver picks them up, as there will be no time to pack items at delivery time. If you have items to go to a library on the same van run route as your library, make sure they are CLEARLY LABELLED, and place them on top of your ILL bin. Let NLLS driver know when she arrives that the items need to be dropped off on her way that day. [Please note: This specific scenario only works when the library you are sending to is AFTER your library on the van run schedule.] Also, be sure that your van run dropoff/pick-up location is secure – we don’t want any ILLs (or anything else for that matter) taking a walk. For TRAC Member Libraries Follow instructions listed for sending an ILL between member libraries of NLLS. Insert the correct book label into a blue bag and send on van run, unless your community and the library you are sending to have government courier. Alberta Government Delivery List If you are one of the libraries that has access to Government Delivery, please note the following: If a location is on the list, you can send ILL items to them via government delivery service: please use the NLLS provide labels which includes both the library’s national code, as well as the correct shipping address. Please be sure to fill the courier bags and bins at least ¾ full. If you do not have enough materials to fill a bag or bin, wait until the next day to send out. This will alleviate some shipping costs. If a location is not on this list, please do not send the items via government courier, but send to NLLS headquarters instead. See the Appendix or the NLLS website (http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/6653) for the Government Delivery Service Locations. NLLS Library Procedures Manual
5
For Libraries Outside of TRAC This includes ALL those libraries that are NOT on the TRAC Polaris system; i.e. all libraries that are NOT members of Peace Library System, Northern Lights Library System, Marigold Library System or Yellowhead Regional Library. Check the item out in Polaris to the requesting library’s Polaris account. Please note that an extra 3 weeks to normal due date is automatically added to cover the shipping period, and place receipt in the book/item. If you have courier then ship out to the library if they also have courier, or to their HQ if they don’t. If you don’t have courier or if it’s a mail only library, please follow the first two steps, attach a note to the bag saying that it’s checked out to Library A in Polaris and send on your van run. Please note the list of inclusions in the Appendix and on the NLLS website: http://www.nlls.ab.ca/document/show/5161. This is a list of items that libraries or library regions are willing to loan out on interlibrary loan. This is of particular importance to those who are managing VDX at your library. PLEASE don’t ask for items from libraries that do not normally loan out those items.
NLLS Library Procedures Manual
6
