LLNJ Delivery Update #11

LLNJ Delivery Update #11
New Vendor for Statewide Delivery

LLNJ Delivery

Update #11

 

January 9, 2018

Please share this with all staff involved with ILL/delivery.

 

 

The first 4 weeks, from Monday, January 8th to Friday, February 2nd
is a transitional period for system adjustments and corrections.

  • NEW: Labor problems at EXPAK have impacted on some deliveries this week.
    • We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused libraries, staff and community members
    • We are working hard with Expak to resolve the situation
    • We know how difficult it is to go without any delivery or pick-ups
  • NEW: I noticed that my driver isn’t scanning packages at my library. I thought they would. What gives?
    • Expak is having scanner software installed for drivers this week. Scanning at libraries will begin soon.
  • What’s happening: Week of January 8 - January 12:
    • Expak began pickups and deliveries on Monday, January 8.
      • Expect some delays due to increased volume during this week
      • We strongly urge libraries to prioritize items waiting to be picked up by separating patron-requested items from ordinary returns. Please also label delivery bins in priority order accordingly
      • It will take several days for Expak delivery staff to recover a full week’s backlog of items. Both LibraryLinkNJ and your delivery driver appreciate your patience and understanding
  • IMPORTANT:
    • Through Friday, February 2nd, please do not report:
      • If your driver is arriving outside your designated window
      • Length of transit time for materials
    • Please report all other problems using the Problem Report Form
      • We especially want to know if you do not receive a scheduled delivery
    • Expak will be analyzing the item-scanning data and making adjustments throughout this period to improve service consistency
  • Expak has posted the schedule.
    • In the Create tab in ExpakShip you will see the two-hour delivery window for your next scheduled ship date.
    • During these two hours, you are locked out from creating shipping labels in ExpakShip
    • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
      • The delivery window start time can be before your library opens
      • The first hour starts your lock-out period (no printing of labels is available)
      • The second hour includes the time of your delivery
      • If your library’s start time is during the second hour, you should be fine
    • Your overall schedule is in the Resources section
    • Your delivery window may vary on each of your delivery days, and some libraries will be served by different routes and drivers, depending on the delivery day. However, we expect that your delivery window on each delivery day will be consistent week-to-week once the transitional period is complete
    • Please hold off scheduling ILL staff for specific times based on the delivery windows until you complete your first few weeks of delivery
  • IMPORTANT: Check your library address and scheduled delivery days in ExpakShip
    • The list of libraries, their addresses, schedule of delivery days and times are available in the Resources section
    • You can export and print the file
    • If you have a library name or address correction, please fill out a Problem Report Form
  • NEW: If your days of delivery are not correct or if the second hour of your delivery window is outside the hours you are open, please email Kathy Schalk-Greene, kathy [at] librarylinknj.org and copy Carol Fishwick, carol [at] librarylinknj.org.
    • Reminder: LibraryLinkNJ’s contract with Expak calls for delivery during the library’s open hours, generally between 9AM-5PM. We understand the impact that delivery times have on your staff and community members. However, the vendor must develop the most efficient schedule possible for statewide delivery involving over 400 libraries. We cannot take requests for specific delivery times
  • How do I report problems to Expak? When should I expect to hear about a solution?
    • Use the Problem Report/Question/Bin Form available in the ExpakShip Resources section and through a link on the LibraryLinkNJ Delivery page
      • A copy of the form submission goes to Expak and the LibraryLinkNJ Office to help us track results online
      • You can request a follow-up to the report using the same form
      • The first 4 weeks, from Monday, January 8th to Friday, February 2nd we consider a transitional period for system adjustments and corrections
      • Through Friday, February 2nd, please do not report:
        • If your driver is arriving outside your designated window
        • Length of transit time for materials
      • Please report all other problems using the Problem Report Form
        • We especially want to know if you do not receive a scheduled delivery
      • Expak will be analyzing the item-scanning data and making adjustments throughout this period to improve service consistency.
  • All packages need the ExpakShip delivery labels and not the old label format. Expak will not pick up items with the old format labels. Please destroy any files of old labels.
    • What if my delivery week starts on a Tuesday? Will I have to wait until Monday to print delivery labels?
      • The short answer: no. Printing is enabled at all times (except for the lockout period just prior to and during your pickup block).
  • What if all my packages aren’t picked up on my delivery day? Will I have to relabel anything?
    • The short answer: no. In more detail: In the event a driver can’t take all of your packages on any particular day, Expak will not ask you to relabel packages. Your original barcode is still valid and remains in the system. This also helps Expak identify packages that were set up for shipping on a particular date vs. when they were actually picked up.
  • The Closure Report Form
    • This form is available in the ExpakShip Resources section and through a link on the LibraryLinkNJ Delivery page.
    • NEW: Use this form to report:
      • Closures due to:
        • Weather
        • Renovation/construction
        • Emergencies
        • Holidays the library is closed
          • Is your library closed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 15)? Make sure you fill out a Closure Report Form today, if you haven’t already done so
        • School vacation breaks
      • Changes in opening hours due to:
        • Seasonal changes (summer hours)
        • Academic semester breaks
        • Overall hours changed
    • The six Expak holidays are: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. You do not have to report that you’re closed on these days
    • You may report forthcoming closures for the entire year, if you know them
    • You can use one form to report multiple dates

LibraryLinkNJ will keep you informed by sending periodic updates about the new delivery service during our transition in January. Stay tuned for more details! All information on the transition to Expak is available at http://librarylinknj.org/delivery. We update this section regularly.

Kathy Schalk-Greene, Executive Director, kathy [at] librarylinknj.org, 732-752-7720