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NMRLS initiated a new agreement for regional delivery services with Eastern Connection, beginning on Friday, August 26, 2005. We met with management a number of times in preparation for this change and we are confident that they will provide high-quality delivery services to NMRLS members. Eastern Connection's warehouse and corporate headquarters are located in Woburn, a short distance away from our region. Visit their Web site for more information: www.easternconnection.com.

Delivery service has grown substantially over the years (see chart, "Items Delivered").
To keep costs down we have negotiated new terms with Eastern Connection. We ask your assistance in helping Eastern Connection get off to a good start with NMRLS by helping us adhere to the terms of the agreement. This agreement includes the following terms:

  1. Manifest Signatures and Counts - Your delivery driver should present you with a manifest with the number of bins delivered, picked up, and, if necessary, the number of bins "not" picked up. Please verify that the numbers are correct and provide a signature at the time of delivery. The manifests are used to ensure correct billing for service.

  2. Labels - Please use only labels supplied by NMRLS.

    We also ask that you add a NMRLS label for all virtual catalog items. The system generated labels are very confusing to sorters and will result in delayed delivery and return.

  3. Pre-Sorting - Libraries that have been presorting are encouraged to continue. If your library ships 20 or more items to another library on a daily basis, we encourage you to consider pre-sorting. Call NMRLS for details.

  4. Turnaround Time - Eastern Connection will provide two-working-day turnaround for all items. Please note: if your library does not receive daily delivery, turnaround time will be longer.

  5. Network Reports - Network reports will be delivered on the day after they are picked up in adherence with the two-working-day turnaround time schedule.

  6. CD Packaging - We have had many reports of broken CD cases. To reduce this problem we strongly recommend that all libraries pack CD's in a protective envelope for delivery.

  7. Reporting - Please contact NMRLS if you experience any issues or if you have questions or suggestions about the delivery program.

Delivery Committee

The NMRLS Delivery Committee had its first meeting on September 1st. The formation of this Committee came out of our own strategic planning process (http://www.nmrls.org/strategicplan2005/. Representatives from 11 member libraries and both automated networks, MVLC and NOBLE, were able to attend (Mary Saratora, Peabody Institute Library, Danvers; Marie Field, Beebe Library, Wakefield; Janice Shaw, Beverly Public Library; Linda Robinson, Chelmsford Public Library; Cathy Page, Haverhill Public Library; Michaela Pelletier, Amesbury Public Library; Christina Condon, Merrimack College; Cara Thissell, Burlington Public Library; Anna Kjoss, Memorial Hall Library, Andover; Marilyn Graves, NOBLE; Ron Gagnon, NOBLE, Erin Apostolos, MVLC; Michelle Filleul, Reading Public Library; Lucie Gallagher, NMRLS; Greg Pronevitz, NMRLS; Susan Grabski, NMRLS).

The group spent some time discussing recent troubles with delivery service and how they impacted services to patrons of their libraries. We also discussed what the role and direction of the Committee would be in upcoming months/years. Issues that the group would like tackle are as follows: library workflow, how the automated networks impact delivery, handling missing items, labeling, the packaging of AV materials, inclement weather policies, communications, contract specifics, promoting the service, and sorting/presorting/space issues.

Robert Soucy, Vice President of the Rapid Response Division at Eastern Connection (EC), joined the meeting to provide an introduction the company. While just five days into the contract with NMRLS, he fielded questions thoughtfully and made note of our member's concerns. The group appreciated his taking the time to come and meet with them. He and/or other representatives from EC will be making visits with NMRLS staff to member libraries in an effort to understand the contract more thoroughly.

We would like to thank Jaclyn White, Director of the Topsfield Town Library, for volunteering to Chair this new Committee. Our next meeting will be at her library on Thursday, December 1, 2005 at 2:00 PM.