national courier

Moving Mountains:An Exploration of National Physical Delivery Options: 

Moving Mountains: An Exploration of National Physical Delivery Options Valerie Horton Executive Director Colorado Library Consortium

Patchwork Quilt of Couriers: 

Patchwork Quilt of Couriers Green – courier service White – no known courier service Gray – partial service INCOMPLETE DATA Courtesy of Brenda Bailey-Hainer Exec Director, BCR

Courier Organization: 

Courier Organization Formed around political or geographic regions Statewide City-county library systems Colleges and universities only Formed around organizations & consortium MINITEX, AMIGOS (TexShare) Orbis Cascade Alliance, CLiC, OhioLInk

GIS Map courtesy of Brenda Bailey-Hainer, BCR: 

GIS Map courtesy of Brenda Bailey-Hainer, BCR Example: Widespread Statewide Participation

Slide5: 

MINITEX Example http://www.minitex.umn.edu/delivery  Example: Multiple State Courier Systems

Example: Partial Participation -- This is common nationally: 

Example: Partial Participation -- This is common nationally Orbis Cascade Alliance http://www.orbiscascade.org/courier/index.htm

Current Delivery Services: 

Current Delivery Services

Delivery Methods: 

Delivery Methods Managed fleet of trucks and drivers ADV: Greater control and customization Contracts with commercial vendor Regional vendors National vendors (UPS/FedEx) ADV: Less liability and share costs with film, photo, pharmacies, etc.

Current Service Arrangements (cont): 

Current Service Arrangements (cont) 3. Hybrid: use both commercial vendor and self-managed 4. Central source deliveries to hubs, locally managed delivery to libraries

A Commonality Among Library Couriers: 

A Commonality Among Library Couriers Volume and demand are growing! Courtesy Brenda Bailey-Hainer

Rapid Courier Growth: 

Rapid Courier Growth COLORADO STATISTICS Colorado moves 5 million Wisconsin moves 11 million TAE/TExpress 735,831

Example: Why has Colorado had rapid growth?: 

Example: Why has Colorado had rapid growth? Long history of success (early 1980’s) Wide spread participation across the state Social pressure PAC-Integrated, patron-direct request Low cost (state subsidy) Plus high volume charges

Couriers are Cost Effective: 

Couriers are Cost Effective 2003 LRS study found US Mail, UPS or FedEx would cost Colorado $1.4 to $2.1 million more than the courier Duplicated the study now – results Summer 2007 www.lrs.org – search on ‘courier’ Other state studies have duplicated these findings 2005 local library study found they spent 25 CENTS per courier transaction

Models for Creating a National Courier System: 

Models for Creating a National Courier System Linked regional couriers Nationally managed courier service User centric model - Library 2.0

Linked Regional Couriers: Need Four Legs: 

Linked Regional Couriers: Need Four Legs You need an ordering system You need a delivery systems You need line-hauls and sorting hubs You need national standards for package label

1. Ordering System: 

1. Ordering System LINKED Interlibrary Loan Software National system – OCLC Statewide or regional software OCLC-PICA, INNReach, Uris, Auto-Graphics, etc. Self-written software Hospitals, State of Georgia KEY POINT – Patron Placed Holds Caveat: Easy to use patron placed holds

2. Delivery System: 

2. Delivery System Systems (regions) of libraries with courier delivery Contiguous systems Connection points between contiguous systems

3. Line Hauls and Sorting Hubs: 

3. Line Hauls and Sorting Hubs Line Hauls Sorting Hubs Minitex and Wisconsin link between delivery systems

4. National Standards: 

4. National Standards Standardized labeling Allow for easy sorting at hubs Mail to and Return addressing Codes? Other? Standardized or at least sharable packaging Totes, large bags, individual packages

Different Labels: 

Different Labels Colorado Library Courier TO: AD-12-SCH Use Library Courier Code DATE: Sample Shipping Log Form Shipper #_____________________ SHIPPING LOG__________________________ (Pick-up Date) Transaction # Destination Contents 154-> [ receiver #] - [ date] -1 154-> -2 154-> -3 etc.

Different Packaging: 

Different Packaging

National CourierSystem: 

National Courier System

A Truly National System Would Have:: 

A Truly National System Would Have: Centralized administration Standardized pricing Economy of scale – lower prices? ILL software interconnectivity 48 (50) state buy in Federal funding Shared standards Shared packaging Significantly faster turn around time than US Mail 2 to 3 days Lost/damaged replacement fund INSURANCE

Some ‘Entity’ Provides Infrastructure: 

Some ‘Entity’ Provides Infrastructure Who Manages it, sets standards, markets it, fixes problems, etc? Provides a fleet of vehicles or contracts out to commercial vendor(s)? Options Non-profits like AMIGOS or BCR? An association like ALA or ALA Division? A nationwide for-profit vendor?

Some Delivery Companies who Already are Nationwide: 

Some Delivery Companies who Already are Nationwide Map of Velocity Express Hubs

Could we Create a Wal-Mart-like Supply Chain Future?: 

Could we Create a Wal-Mart-like Supply Chain Future? Standardized RFID tags Regional warehouses of popular materials Supply chain Library vendor delivery materials Books, labels, supplies, etc via the courier Possible connection to home delivery services

The Obstacles : 

The Obstacles How do you price a national system? Must cost less and be faster than US Mail Is there a cost per each sort or line haul? Geographic price neutrality? Alaska/Hawaii What about states that don’t have a courier or have only partial couriers? Is there POLITICAL will to do this? Can we agree on standards?

Which Directionare our PATRONSGoing?: 

Which Direction are our PATRONS Going?

User Expectations are High: 

User Expectations are High One day turnaround expected Daily multiple delivery times Monday thru Saturday delivery Weather, mountains passes, natural or man-made disasters shouldn’t be an obstacle Source of Brenda Bailey-Hainer

Library 2.0: 

Library 2.0 Based on Web 2.0 work Focus from users perspective of fulfillment Library has it, buys it, borrows it, or steals it In this vision, the library makes items available: wherever whenever, and in whatever format the user requires it Source: Lori Bowen Ayre LBAyre@galecia.com

Is a National Courier the Right Direction to Go?: 

Is a National Courier the Right Direction to Go? What users really want? FREE service Easy searching (Google-like) Easy requesting Quick turnaround Home Delivery Easy drop-in the mail returns

What Next?: 

What Next? International Courier Symposium held in Denver Sept 14 & 15, 2006 http://www.clicweb.org/couriersymposium/ Clearinghouse for physical delivery issues LISTSERV, best practice documents, links to other courier services, etc. Working Groups ALA Annual Conference Program

Conclusion:First we have todecide where wewant to end up? : 

Conclusion: First we have to decide where we want to end up?