Resource Sharing

Courier

Flip Cards

the CSU currently uses Flip Cards instead of sticker labels to ship materials between libraries using the courier. These cards are to be used in the red CSU+ courier bags. While hard laminated flip cards are preferable, the cards can be printed out if you run out. The cards are housed in the CSU ULMS SharePoint site and requires a CSU login to view: 

Select the folder for your campus and you should see two PDF files: a To file and a From file. Open each file and find the page with your library and the library you want to send the courier package to and print those pages. After printing from both the To and From documents, cut out the labels along the dotted line. Take a slip from the To document and a slip from the From document and glue or tape them together to make a complete label. Now you will have a complete flip card where one side ships the package to the Borrowing library and the other side can be used to ship the package back to the Lending library. 

Some libraries have taken the extra step of either laminating the cards with a laminating machine or wrapping them in transparent packing tape. Both practices are appreciated but not required. 

If you are low on time, you can just print a slip from the To document to use as a one time use slip. 

Pros

While making new Flip Cards is not a quick process, their day to day use is very fast. Slip the Flip Card behind the plastic window in the courier bag with the destination face up and you're done. 

Flip Cards are also reusable, so they use less resources, and they don't leave a sticky residue on the bags. 

Cons

Since the Flip Cards are reusable they all use the same tracking number between destinations. This means you cannot accurately track packages, which makes it much harder to know if a package was lost. 

Sticker Labels

While most of the time you will be able to use Flip Cards to ship items through the courier, there are rare cases where you may choose to print the old Sticker Labels using a Zebra Printer. These labels should not be used on the red CSU+ courier bags, but may be used on older bags from before CSU+. To print these labels go to the courier website: 

To use the Sticker Labels, peel them off and stick them on the courier bag (as long as it's not the red CSU+ bag) on the label window. Packages using these labels can be tracked to ensure they are not lost. To track a package, go to the courier website. 

Reporting Issues

If you have a service issue with the courier you can fill out the Resource Sharing Report  form and select Unity as the report type and the Resource Sharing Manager (RSM) and a designated member of the Resource Sharing Functional Committee (RSFC) will be alerted to your issue. Reasons to submit a report include, but are not limited to:

  • Driver Issues
  • Damaged Materials
  • Courier Bag Repair
  • Courier No-Show (missed pickup/delivery)
  • Unapproved Schedule Change
  • Courier Mis-delivery
  • Incorrect Label (causing mis-delivery)
  • Transit Time (shipped too long)

The RSM or a member of the RSFC will contact Unity to alert them of the issue. If the issue is an emergency, and you want to contact Unity directly you may email Monique Carr (Unity Customer Service Manager). If you contact Unity directly please cc the RSM to make sure they are aware of the issue. 

Damaged Claims

If an item is damaged you can submit the Claim Form  (requires a CSU login to access) to the courier at customerservice@unitycourier.com and cc the RSM at cwlee@calstate.edu, ideally within 48 hours of receiving the damaged item. Please include the following information in your claim:

  • Your name, phone number, e-mail and campus/library
  • What campus the item came from
  • Date of shipment and date of receipt
  • Title and barcode of the item
  • Replacement cost of the item (if this is difficult to obtain in the 48 hour window it can be sent to Unity later)
  • Written description of the damage and photos of the damaged item
  • A photo of the bag in which the damaged item was shipped, including barcoded flipcard (it may not always be possible as items are unpacked in bulk or by students who may have removed identifying information from bags upon unpacking the item but try to photograph the packaging)

If/when a claim is approved campuses should work directly with Unity to arrange payment or replacement of the item.

Lost Claims

If an item is lost you can submit the Claim Form  (requires a CSU login to access) to the courier at customerservice@unitycourier.com and cc the RSM at cwlee@calstate.edu. Before you submit the for you may want to do the following:

  • Search for the book at your library. Make sure it is not on the hold shelf or shelved in your collection without being returned in Alma.
  • Contact the library who Borrowed the item and aske them to search their library. In rare cases, books have been shelved instead of handed over to Resource Sharing.

Since we are using Flip Cards among the CSU libraries tracking is unavailable for most items shipped through the courier.