[OPLINLIST] priority dispatch-overdue materials

[Sherie Brown]

We at Massillon share your pain and finally gave up in disgust and dropped both of our branches' 3-day delivery contract.  We're making five-day deliveries with our own staff and van.

Priority would show up (IF they did show up) after the branch closed for the day, and sometimes the branch wouldn't get materials during a 7-day stretch.  Things aren't much better at our Main branch, where we had to admit defeat and reorganize staffing to unpack deliveries the following morning, because Priority sometimes doesn't get here until 6pm.

I missed the news about the contract being renewed; it's not the best news of the day.


Sherie Brown, Director
Massillon Public Library
208 Lincoln Way E.
Massillon OH 44646

Phone 330.832.9831 x314
Fax 330.830.2182
Cell  330.844.2021
brownsh at massillonlibrary.org


"Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators."
Stephen Fry




-----Original Message-----
From: oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Anne Lowery
Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2013 9:54 AM
To: oplinlist at lists.oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] priority dispatch-overdue materials

We have been fighting with the State Library and Priority Dispatch just about from day 1. They are not very responsive and the State Library has already extended their contract, so good luck getting any results. I have received the lecture about what a great bargain this all is for our patrons several times. I also found out that the State Library does receive credit from Priority for missed delivery dates; however, SLO says they spend the money on "shipping supplies" rather than pass the credit back to the individual library.

We have been paying for three day per week delivery and lucky to receive two. I have already informed SLO that we will be reducing our contracted service to two days per week with the new contract. Priority can't even tell me what two days per week they CAN delivery to us, but at least our expenditure will reflect the level of service.

All of that said, I'm not sure how items can be overdue while in transit. I would think that the "due date" should be triggered when the item is checked in at the lending library, not when it is placed in transit.  If THAT were the case, our patrons would be accruing fines every time they borrow something via ILL. This is yet another reason why we are moving towards "fine free."

I won't go so far to say the SLO is DEAF to our concerns, but they don't seem to be having any success addressing them and I am very unhappy that they are spending our money on shipping supplies instead of returning it to the paying library. They don't seem to understand what a significant expense the delivery contract is for us little guys.

Anne Lowery, MLIS
Director
New London Public Library
67 S. Main St.
New London, OH  44851
(419) 929-3981
(419) 929-0007 (fax)
www.newlondonpubliclibrary.org

On 5/29/2013 9:40 AM, Sandy Thaxton wrote:
> Good morning!
>
>
> When I get a shipment from Priority Dispatch, most of the items are 
> already at least _*3*_ _*weeks overdue*_ on arrival. So I give them to 
> our patron for 10-14 days, and they are then 5 weeks overdue before I 
> send them back. We are habitually late sending things back and it's 
> not our fault.
>
> So I apologize to the lending libraries, and wonder if anyone else is 
> having the same problem? I have already made contact with Priority 
> Dispatch with no results.
>
> Sandy
>
>
> --
> Sandy Thaxton
> Sandy Thaxton
> Head of Reference
> MLJ-Hardin Co. Dist. Library
> Kenton, OH 43326
> 419-673-2278
>
>
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