[Solar-L] Van Delivery Service

[Corner, Dean]

Hello Delivery Service Participants & Potential New Sites:
 
I would like to add some comments to Karl Beiser's email that was posted
last week.  This is a fairly long email but please read it carefully
because there are several important pieces of information below.
 
There were some specific factors that led to awarding the contract for
delivery service to our current contractor, CD&L.  Their pricing was
very competitive.  They agreed not to add a fuel surcharge if gas prices
increased above a certain amount.  They agreed to expand the delivery
service to include libraries not presently on a delivery route.
 
Probably our most important objective was to simplify how libraries are
charged for stops and to simplify how charges are computed.  Libraries
will be charged a flat rate of $11.50 per stop.  There will be no longer
be a per tote charge. This is a very good deal for libraries sending out
3 or more totes per week.
 
For others, please remember that the old $6.50 per stop charge was
negotiated 3 years ago, included only the first tote and did not reflect
the huge increase in gasoline costs.  Also, to send 6 items per week via
the US Post Office costs at least $11.50 and items sent this way take
longer to reach their destination.
 
You will continue to be billed quarterly for delivery services.  You
will soon be receiving bills for April-June 2006 based on the old fee
structure of $6.50 per stop which includes the first tote; $2.50 per
additional tote.  In late September or early October, you will be
receiving a bill for July-September 2006 based on the new fee structure.
For billing questions, please use the online form at
http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/interlib/billdelivery.htm.  
 
It was apparent that some libraries were receiving unsatisfactory
service while others were extremely happy with the delivery.  We have
discussed and addressed customer service issues with CD&L.  Both CD&L
and I will be receiving customer complaints.  We have agreed to a 2-day
response to your complaints, barring events out of our control.
 
The types of delivery problems we most want to address are:  skipped
stops, wrong day stops and stops occurring before or after your open
hours.  CD&L has assured us that you will receive 7 days notice if it is
necessary to make changes to the times you receive deliveries.
Emergency or temporary situations that cause a delivery to be earlier or
later than usual are not significant complaints.
 
Also, all libraries occasionally receive a bag or several bags of
materials belonging to another library.  We do not believe that this
warrants a complaint unless you receive a tote (or more) of things that
do not belong to you.  This is a sorting error that CD&L needs to know
about.  Please use our feedback form at
http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/interlib/illfeedback.htm for this and
other service problems that you are encountering.
 
Libraries will not receive deliveries on holidays observed by the state
of Maine regardless of whether you are open on those days (please see
list at http://www.maine.gov/bhr/policies and select holiday schedule).
Libraries receiving less than 5 days per week delivery will receive a
make-up delivery (if feasible) during the week the holiday occurred.
This should eliminate nearly all of the billing questions that plagued
you and the MSL business office.
 
Open enrollment periods to join or cancel participation in the delivery
service will occur in May and November.  However, we are encouraging
libraries who want to join this service now to sign up during the month
of July.  Please use the online join delivery form at
http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/interlib/join_delivery.htm.
 
During this time period, current delivery participants must edit their
libraries' contact information and delivery days if changes are
necessary.  Please use the online form at
http://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/interlib/edit_delivery.htm.
 
Our delivery service is a massive undertaking for a contractor.  I think
we are fortunate that the service works as well as it does.  I am
estimating that the Minerva libraries alone will receive approximately
12,000 deliveries including over 25,000 totes and 380,000 items in
fiscal year 2006-2007.  It will be our achievement to have these items
arrive where they're supposed to be and on time.  Thank you for your
participation in this process and your patience while we enter into the
next phase of this endeavor.
 
 
 
Dean
 
 
 
 
 
Dean Corner
 
Director of Reader and Information Services
Maine State Library
64 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0064
207-287-5604
207-287-5615 fax
 
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