Moving Mountains:Moving Mountains:An Exploration of National An Exploration of National Physical Delivery OptionsPhysical Delivery Options

Valerie HortonValerie HortonExecutive Director Executive Director

Colorado Library ConsortiumColorado Library Consortium

Patchwork Quilt of CouriersPatchwork Quilt of Couriers•

GreenGreen – courier service

WhiteWhite – no known courier service

GrayGray – partial service

INCOMPLETE DATACourtesy of Brenda Bailey-HainerExec Director, BCR

Courier OrganizationCourier 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

Example: Widespread Statewide Participation

MINITEX ExampleMINITEX Examplehttp://www.minitex.umn.edu/deliveryhttp://www.minitex.umn.edu/delivery   

Example: Multiple State Courier Systems

Example: Partial Participation Example: Partial Participation -- This is common nationally-- This is common nationally

Orbis Cascade Alliance http://www.orbiscascade.org/courier/index.htm

Current Delivery ServicesCurrent Delivery Services

Delivery MethodsDelivery Methods

1. Managed fleet of trucks and drivers• ADV: Greater control and customization

2. Contracts with commercial vendor • Regional vendors • National vendors (UPS/FedEx)• ADV: Less liability and share costs with film,

photo, pharmacies, etc.

Current Service Arrangements Current Service Arrangements (cont)(cont)

3. Hybrid: use both commercial vendor and self-managed

4. Central source deliveries to hubs, locally managed delivery to libraries

A Commonality Among A Commonality Among Library CouriersLibrary Couriers

Volume and demand are growing!

Courtesy Brenda Bailey-Hainer

Rapid Courier GrowthRapid Courier Growth

Estimated Courier Deliveries

0

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

1995 2000 2002 2004 2006

COLORADO STATISTICS

• Colorado moves 5 million

• Wisconsin moves 11 million

• TAE/TExpress 735,831

Example: Example: Why has Colorado had rapid growth?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 EffectiveCouriers 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 Models for Creating a National Courier SystemNational Courier System

1. Linked regional couriers

2. Nationally managed courier service

3. User centric model - Library 2.0

Linked Regional Couriers: Linked Regional Couriers: Need Four LegsNeed Four Legs

1. You need an ordering system

2. You need a delivery systems

3. You need line-hauls and sorting hubs

4. You need national standards for package label

1. Ordering System1. 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 System2. Delivery System

• Systems (regions) of libraries with courier delivery

• Contiguous systems

• Connection points between contiguous systems

3. Line Hauls and Sorting Hubs3. Line Hauls and Sorting HubsLine HaulsSorting Hubs

Minitex and Wisconsin link betweendelivery systems

4. National Standards4. 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 LabelsDifferent Labels

Colorado Library Courier

TO: AD-12-SCHUse Library Courier

Code

DATE:

Sample Shipping Log FormShipper #_____________________SHIPPING LOG__________________________(Pick-up Date)Transaction # Destination Contents154-> [ receiver #] - [ date] -1154-> -2154-> -3etc.

Different PackagingDifferent Packaging

National CourierNational CourierSystemSystem

A Truly National System Would A Truly National System Would HaveHave::

• 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 InfrastructureSome ‘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 Some Delivery Companies who Already are NationwideAlready are Nationwide

Map of Velocity Express Hubs

Could we Create a Wal-Mart-like Could we Create a Wal-Mart-like Supply Chain Future?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 Which DirectionDirectionare our are our

PATRONSPATRONSGoing?Going?

User Expectations are HighUser 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 2.0Library 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 Is a National Courier the Right Direction to Go?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:Conclusion:

First we have toFirst we have todecide where wedecide where wewant to end up?want to end up?