Select the right container

Size. Use the appropriate size and type of shipping container for the materials. Padded and bubble shipping envelopes, courier bags, and boxes all come in a variety of sizes; use the one closest to the size of the materials.

·         Courier bags: pack books with spines facing each other, to the inside (spine-to-spine).

·         Envelopes: No envelopes smaller than 8" x 10"

·         Boxes: Limit box size and weight so it can be easily lifted and moved by drivers and staff at the receiving libraries.  Workers must be able to safely and comfortably move the materials without special equipment, lifts, etc.

Breakables. Use boxes with padding for materials that can be crushed -- for example, plastic binding, spiral binding, kits, compact discs, microfilm reels, etc. -- even if they will be put in courier (cloth) bags. Illustrations

Here is one way to create a Padded Bag.

Fastening and Sealing. Use heavy-duty packaging tape or packing stapler (not desktop stapler) to secure packages. Staples: Standard desk staples pull out; they can and do injure individuals handling the materials; and your materials can fall out and be lost.  Tape: Completely cover all edges of labels with tape (Clear packaging tape) Note: trimming excess paper from around the labels allows you to use two strips of 2" wide tape to cover the entire label. Labels get caught and torn off in transit if they are not self-adhesive or completely covered.

Select the right destination

Make sure the destination is part of the courier system. Mail only to libraries shown in Participating Libraries.

Caution! Many Participating Libraries receive material as a forwarding site, via a Dropsite. see info in Labeling section.

Use only pre-printed courier labels (form supplied by Orbis Cascade Alliance). Examples of labels and label box with tabs.

If the destination is not a dropsite, the destination library name goes in "Attention" space below the Dropsite address on the courier label.

Finish and send

Mark out (with a permanent marker) any other address information that might be confusing to the courier, or cause a package to be sorted into the wrong bin – look on both side of the packages

Make sure the package is securely sealed before sending.

Put multiple packages to the same place in a larger courier bag or box (add packing as necessary).

Don'ts

·  Don’t … Put a small item in a huge shipping envelope or courier bag. Use size appropriate packaging. For tips from the Orbis Cascade Alliance consortium on using courier bags, see Packing items into courier bags.

·         Don’t … Ship in grocery sacks.

·         Don’t … Use standard staples for securing packages.

·         Don’t … Allow the labels to have unsecured edges--they get caught and ripped off the packages.

·         Don’t … Use boxes that cannot be safely and easily moved by drivers and staff at the receiving libraries.  Bench-pressing isn’t a requirement for most library work !