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Dropsite status for Alliance members |
Alliance Council has asked Summit Borrowing Committee to consider whether members must be direct courier dropsites. This is a preliminary discussion document to assist the Steering Team in developing ideas, surveys, discussion outlines, or recommendations for the committee.
"EC was asked to examine Summit Borrowing service expectations and advise Council on the implications of a member accessing the courier system as a forwarding site. As part of its investigation, it is expected that EC will consult with the Summit Borrowing Committee and consortium staff about workflow, shipping accuracy, and performance implications for Summit Borrowing. While WWC may provide a useful test case, recommendations should be general in nature and apply to all members." -- Council Minutes, April 2005
Discussion
Members are committed to providing quick service for Summit Borrowing requests. Processing paging slips at least once a day and Just-In-Time processing schedules help ensure the quickest possible turnaround time. Members often "go the extra mile" in the name of good service. For example, even when libraries may be closed to the public, they often continue to process SB requests behind-the-scenes. Another component of quick turnaround time is quick courier service. Generally, this means that the courier picks up and delivers materials directly to the member daily, Monday through Friday, i.e, the member is a courier "dropsite."
Most members have branch or satellite libraries or multiple campuses. The additional libraries may have materials requestable via Summit Borrowing, and may be designated pickup locations for the member's patrons. Yet, many of those libraries are not direct dropsites. How, and how often, are the materials moved to and from the dropsite for pickup and delivery? Some members have arranged for courier service at several sites, and pay for those separate dropsites. This provides quick service for their patrons and quick response to requests for their materials. Should every member have at least one dropsite? Under what circumstances should libraries pay for more than one dropsite?
The bottom line: Would lack of at least one dropsite at each member result in decreased service to patrons, or increased complexity for staff for processing? Would sharing dropsites add an extra day in turnaround time?
(List of members and dropsites included at end of document)
For example, consider:
Does the library have materials that can be requested via Summit Borrowing? How many? At least 5% of the member's library materials? 10%?
How often does the library process requests for those materials? Is the schedule coordinated with Just-In-Time processing at the Dropsite to avoid losing a day?
Impact on their own patrons (extra day in transit to pickup location?)
Impact on requests (extra day in transit, from item location to the dropsite?)
Other considerations
Summit Borrowing processing, including materials and procedural agreements, is designed to maximize efficiency at every step possible. From bookbands and labels to courier bag labels and placement of paging slips, each step fits into the whole; redundancy and potential sources of confusion are eliminated wherever possible. Text on paging slips, bookbands and labels, and courier bag labels must be coordinated within Summit Borrowing and also within the context of the larger courier service program.
Will it increase confusion to process materials for members when there is no direct dropsite? (Will it be more difficult to serve Walla Walla College?)
Can errors be reduced or eliminated? Will there always be some errors due to inexperienced staff, incomplete instruction, etc.?
Specific questions for members:
Do you have libraries that share a dropsite? How many? Where are they?
Do those libraries have materials that can be requested via Summit Borrowing? How many?
How do you move materials to and from the libraries and Dropsite(s)?
Have you coordinated processing schedules so that requests at non-Dropsite libraries still make the courier shipment without losing a day?
Examples of potential policy statements
Each member institution must have at least one dropsite.
Each member institution must have at least one dropsite or ensure daily processing coordinated with a dropsite so that requests are filled without delay.
Libraries with at least half (50%) of the member's requestable materials must be a dropsite.
Members and their dropsites
one dropsite
Clark, COCC, CWU, EOU, LCC, L&C, Maryl, MHCC,OIT, Pacific, PSU, Reed
SMU, SOU, SPU, SU, TESC, UP, UPS, Whitman, WOU, Willamette, WWU
one dropsite, with branch libraries away from main campus
PCC
UW (Bothell etc.)
more than one dropsite
EWU (main-Cheney and CALS-Spokane, shared with WSU)
GFU (Newberg and Portland)
Linfield (McMinnville and Portland)
OHSU (main and OGI, both Portland)
OSU (main-Corvallis and HMSC-Newport)
UO (main-Eugene and OIMB-Charleston via Coos Co.)
WSU (Pullman, CALS-Spokane shared with EWU, ICN, Tri-Cities, Vancouver)
no dropsite
Walla Walla College (sharing with Whitman)
updated: September 27 , 2005