Other Information
Other Information
Whenever possible, transit slips printed from Evergreen should be used. When a library must manually create a transit slip, the following information must be included:
See also: Spreadsheet of STAT Courier Codes
A “green bag” (ie, the heavy-duty green, zippered PINES bags purchased for courier use) may contain multiple items destined for a single branch, but should not contain books meant for different branches in the same system. (A single green bag should not contain one item meant for ARL-ATH and another item meant for ARL-BOGART.)
Green bags meant for all destinations should then be placed in a “tote” (ie, the large bins that the courier uses to transport materials). The drivers collect the bins from each HQ library and bring them to centralized warehouses where they are then sorted. The sorters use the numeric courier code on the transit slip for sorting, and will not open the green bags.
The transit slip must be placed in the clear plastic window where it is clearly readable. Any materials that are not appropriately secured and labeled will be sent to the PINES office, leading to transit delays.
The green bags provide sufficient protection for most library materials. However, audio-visual materials must be packed with additional care in order to minimize damage. The key points are to ensure that the item is padded and is not sliding around loosely inside of the green bags or boxes.
Best Practice:
If the item will not fit into a bubble wrap envelope or if you have run out of bubble wrap envelopes, consider using sheets of bubble wrap, recycled bubble wrap envelopes, or small boxes. If using sheets of bubble wrap, it is better to secure them with rubber bands rather than tape so that they can be easily reused without having to be cut apart. If using a small box, ensure that the item will not slide around and hit the sides, which can easily damage the corners of the case.
See also: AV Packaging Committee Report, September 2021
Examples of protective packaging:
When you get low on green bags or totes (aka, tubs or bins), put in a Help Desk ticket and the PINES staff will have more sent to your branch from the courier's Atlanta warehouse.
If your library has more bags or totes than you need, please send them via your courier to the Atlanta Warehouse, Attn: Brian Clingen.
In case of extreme bag or bin shortage, materials may be sent in alternative protective packaging as long as it will stand up to the rigors of sorting and transit, and as long as the transit slip is clearly legible and firmly attached to the outside of the package.
If an item is damaged during transit from one library system to another, fill out this form and submit it to the Help Desk as soon as possible upon discovering the damage.
(The PINES contract with STAT only covers deliveries between library systems, from headquarters to headquarters. If your library system has an additional contract with STAT to deliver from branch to branch within the system, then any claim for an item damaged during one of those transits should go directly to your contact with STAT.)
Georgia's public libraries and state university libraries utilize a courier service that includes interlibrary loan deliveries within the state.
Courier Expansion Policies and Procedures
Processing Interlibrary Loan Items in PINES
Courier Labels
Mail Merge Files