Shipping guidelines
Each book should have a rubber band around it to protect the pages and cover during shipping. If it is especially floppy or fragile rubber band it with another book or place in a box or padded envelope.
Media items, fragile items, and special materials that need additional protection should be packaged in a box before being placed in the large canvas courier bag.
Courier bags should be zipped shut and secured with a plastic zip tie. When pulling the tie closed, leave a two-finger opening so that the receiving library can easily cut the zip tie off upon receipt.
NOTE: If a delivered bag has its tie pulled too tight the receiving library should contact the lending library and provide a photo if possible. If the lending library indicates they left the appropriate amount of space prior to shipping contact your courier to ensure ties are not being tightened by its drivers. (See section below: "resolving issues" for contact procedure)
Some campuses are more at risk of the canvas courier bags getting wet during rainy weather. If a campus indicates that their books require extra protection due to inclement weather place the books being shipped to that campus in a plastic bag prior to placing them in a courier bag.
Courier Issue reporting form
Link to the issue reporting form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQuWqINre0a_Q21Fje0ZnECOf9vKJ1ZOQ9L42BqenKEIiyVw/viewform
In October 2018 the CSU will begin using a form to report all delivery issues to Tricor/Unity and the RSFC for tracking. This form will serve the dual purpose of data tracking and streamlining CSU contacts with the courier.
Contents submitted using the form will be e-mailed to Tricor/Unity customer service, 2 members of the RSFC (currently Arturo and Carolyn) and a copy will be e-mailed directly to the submitter. RSFC recipients will initially follow up with campuses who would like additional contact on a weekly basis to track if an acceptable resolution has been reached.
For the remainder of 2018 the RSFC will collect data with the intent of analyzing the data and drafting a report on courier performance, identifying areas of strength and weakness.
When to use the form
An issue should be filed if specifications in the scope of work are not met. For the purposes of issue reporting, the most relevant parts of the SOW indicate
- Drivers must be identifiable as courier driver [...] and conduct themselves in a professional manner. Service provider will perform delivery service with Service Provider’s own forces and shall not subcontract any portion of the work.
- Account managers will be pro-active in contacting their CSU campus counterparts regarding service problems, and the efforts that will be undertaken to resolve them.
- The Service Provider must have a problem resolution procedure in place with steps identified.
Service Provider shall ensure that all pick-ups and deliveries at each service point are made in accordance with the established delivery schedule.
In the event a scheduled stop is missed the Service Provider will make reasonable efforts to work with the campus library administrator to mitigate any impacts on urgent library material deliveries, including but not limited to, making a stop outside of the standard delivery schedule.
Driver or Courier is to contact the individual campus in the following situations:
Driver unable to deliver or pickup for the day.
When unexpected issues arise affecting schedule courier service
The complete Scope of Work can be found here: https://csyou.calstate.edu/Tools/SDLC/SDLS/.
Following up with Tricor/Unity after using the form
Email all 4 of the contacts listed below, ideally forwarding a copy of the form you received upon submission:
Issue submission process overview
- Campus submits content using the form.
- Form contents are e-mailed to RSFC team (Arturo & Carolyn) and Tricor/Unity customer service emails.
- Form populates a Trello card with status “vendor contacted”. Trello cards managed by RSFC team.
- RSFC team contacts campus for requests that require follow up weekly and tracks issue using Trello card statuses.