Empire Library Delivery (ELD) improves statewide delivery, making resource sharing connections among all types of libraries affordable and streamlined. ELD provides return on investment for libraries by providing a convenient, affordable, and tailored delivery service to institutions, thereby supporting increased statewide resource sharing among ELD participants. By bundling shipments of library materials, ELD assists libraries in quickly getting items into the hands of users.
For questions regarding ELD’s day-to-day operations, please contact admin@esln.org.
Advisory Group
Advisory Group Charge
Determine the overall management of the statewide delivery service, Empire Library Delivery, including contracts, business plans, and policies and procedures.
Members
| Sheryl Knab – WNYLRC | Kathy Gundrum – CDLC |
| Tim Spindler – LILRC | Mark Sullivan – IDS |
| Maria DeGaetano – ESLN | Nancy Abashian – SUNY Binghamton |
| William Jones – SUNY Geneseo | Chris Keough – University at Buffalo |
| Emily Wager – New York State Library | Samantha Purpora – Buffalo & Erie County Public Library |
| Tim Jackson – SUNY OLIS | Terry Kirchner – Westchester Library System |
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|
Practitioners Group
Practitioners Group Charge
Assess, review, and identify improvements for everyday operations of Empire Library Delivery, including labeling, packaging, statistics, and other issues that impact timely delivery across New York State.
Members
| Maria DeGaetano – ESLN | Kelsey Milner – SENYLRC |
| Alicia Marrese – St. John Fisher College | Ellen Eurbanek – SUNY Buffalo |
| Jennifer Acker – HVCC | Jill Tominosky- ConnectNY |
| Elise Thornley – SUNY Binghamton | Glen Bogardus – SUNY Canton/Potsdam |
| Ronald Figueroa – Syracuse University | |
| J Silvia Cho – CUNY Graduate Center | |
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Policies & Procedures Manual
Up to date policies and procedures can be found in the ELD policies and procedures manual. If you have any questions, please contact admin@esln.org.
Joining ELD
Discontinuing ELD
How to send via ELD
All participating ELD libraries are listed on the ELD Roster. Your library can ship to and receive from all the libraries on this list using the ELD program.
Place ILL items to be sent in an ELD bag and zip the bag closed. Multiple items going to one location may be placed in the same bag; however items going to different locations must be placed in separate bags. The courier will not be opening the bags and therefore will not be able to sort items within the same bag to go to different locations. Multiple bags should be placed in a blue ELD tote.
Due to the fragile nature of some AV packaging, ELD recommends that AV materials be sent inside a hard plastic container or wrapped in bubble wrap.
ELD Participants as preferred lenders/Using custom holdings
Expected Turnaround Time
|
CCS Hub/Sort Center |
ALBANY |
BINGHAMTON | BUFFALO | NEW YORK CITY | ROCHESTER | SYRACUSE |
| ALBANY | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| BINGHAMTON | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| BUFFALO | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 72 Hours | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| NEW YORK CITY | 48 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 72 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 72 HOURS | 48 HOURS |
| ROCHESTER | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 72 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| SYRACUSE | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| ABOVE TIMES DENOTE TRANSIT TIME FROM PICK UP BY CCS AT ELD SENDING LIBRARY TO DELIVERY BY CCS AT ELD RECEIVING LIBRARY. | ||||||
Number of packages
Shipping supplies
ELD will supply each participating member with an initial supply of bags and a label template. If your library’s supply of ELD bags is running low, please use the form on the ELD site to request more.
Totes will be delivered by the courier service driver from your local hub/terminal. If your library has extra totes, leave those out for the drive to return them to the hub/terminal. If your library needs totes, please inform your driver who can alert the terminal and he can bring more on the next service day.
Excess, worn or damaged bags should be sent via ELD to:
College of Saint Rose
392 Western Ave, Albany NY 12203
HUB -Albany
What to send
-
Books
-
Periodicals
-
Newspapers
-
Audio-visual materials*
-
video and audio cassettes
-
sound recordings
-
CDs
-
DVDs
-
-
including video and audiocassettes, sound recordings, CD’s
*Due to the fragile nature of some AV packaging, ELD recommends that AV materials be sent inside a hard plastic container or wrapped in bubble wrap.
What NOT to send
-
Office equipment
-
Personal Correspondence
-
Promotional Items
-
Rare or valuable books or periodicals
-
Items that cannot be replaced
Holidays
There is no ELD service on the following holidays:
-
New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
-
Presidents Day
-
Memorial Day
-
Independence Day
-
Labor Day
-
Veteran’s Day
-
Thanksgiving Day
-
Day after Thanksgiving
-
Christmas Day
Library closures
If your library is going to be closed on a day when you would normally receive a ELD pickup/delivery, please fill out the Report and Issue or Closure Form to let the courier know that no stop is necessary. Please provide a minimum of 48 hours advance notice.
Reporting Statistics
Your library should track ELD usage. All ELD participants should count the number of bags and items sent by ELD each month, and report monthly to ELD using the form below.
Please feel free to use one of these tracking sheets to help assist in gathering statistics.
Reporting Issues
Refunds
The ESLN contract with Custom Courier Solutions stipulates that ESLN will be credited for missed stops. Participating libraries will be credited for missed stops when they are invoiced for the next fiscal year. For example, a library’s 2022-2023 invoice, generated on or about July 1, 2023, would reflect a credit for all reported missed stops in the 2021-22 year.
Lost and damaged materials
The ELD policy for lost and damaged items and claim form were revised in July 2022. For the full policy see the policies and procedures manual. The Empire State Library Network (ESLN), which maintains the Empire Library Delivery (ELD) service, accepts no liability for loss of materials shipped through ELD, with the exception of those shipping using the tracking system of damage items, as outlined below.
Lost/Missing Item Definition: An item is considered lost and eligible for reimbursement when 30 days have passed since the item was sent from the shipping location. Libraries may report items as a missing resource after 10 days.
Lost/Missing Item Policy:
Items tendered to CCS from a member library in transit to another member library that do not arrive in 30 days will be considered lost. Claims will be paid based on the library replacement cost of the lost items, up to a maximum of $500.00 per item. A $10 processing fee may also be submitted.
In the event that suitable documentation of an item’s library replacement cost or value is not provided, CCS responsibility will be $100.00 per item.
Lost/Missing Claims Procedure:
Before submitting your claim, check your shelves and contact the library the item was in transit to/from to have them also check their shelves. Please do not rely solely on status information obtained from your library catalog.
Complete the Missing Resources form on the ELD website. Please wait approximately 10 business days after the materials are expected to arrive before submitting. Adding items to this form is important as it helps ELD track the number of missing items and see trends that might indicate a larger issue.
If the item tendered to CCS is not located after 30 days, the claims process below shall be followed:
Complete the claim form located on the Empire Library Delivery website. The report must include the title of the missing item, the shipping and receiving libraries, the date shipped, and the value of the item. A $10 processing fee may also be submitted.
Once the item is reported missing, the courier has a maximum of 60 days from the original pick-up date from the shipping library to locate and deliver the missing item/bag. If items are not located within 60 days, the claim will be closed out, and the payment will be made in 20 days.
Damaged Item Policy:
If an item has been damaged in transit, the supplying library is entitled to full replacement of the items at the expense of the current contracted service provider.
Damaged Item Claims Procedure:
Upon receipt of the damaged items, take pictures of the item damage and bag the item came in. Also take pictures of the front cover and title page for verification purposes. A claim form with the the title, tracking number if available, shipping, and owning library must be submitted within 48 hours of receipt. The full policy can be found in the policies and procedures manual.
Items tendered to the courier from a member library in transit to another member library that arrive damaged will be eligible for reimbursement. Claim will be paid based on the provided library replacement cost of the item or items damaged to a maximum of $500.00 per item. If suitable documentation of an item’s library replacement cost or value is not provided, the replacement cost will be $100.00 per item. A $10 processing fee may also be submitted.
Policies & Procedures Manual
Up to date policies and procedures can be found in the ELD policies and procedures manual. If you have any questions, please contact admin@esln.org.
Joining ELD
Discontinuing ELD
How to send via ELD
All participating ELD libraries are listed on the ELD Roster. Your library can ship to and receive from all the libraries on this list using the ELD program.
Place ILL items to be sent in an ELD bag and zip the bag closed. Multiple items going to one location may be placed in the same bag; however items going to different locations must be placed in separate bags. The courier will not be opening the bags and therefore will not be able to sort items within the same bag to go to different locations. Multiple bags should be placed in a blue ELD tote.
Due to the fragile nature of some AV packaging, ELD recommends that AV materials be sent inside a hard plastic container or wrapped in bubble wrap.
ELD Participants as preferred lenders/Using custom holdings
Expected Turnaround Time
|
CCS Hub/Sort Center |
ALBANY |
BINGHAMTON | BUFFALO | NEW YORK CITY | ROCHESTER | SYRACUSE |
| ALBANY | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| BINGHAMTON | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| BUFFALO | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 72 Hours | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| NEW YORK CITY | 48 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 72 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 72 HOURS | 48 HOURS |
| ROCHESTER | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 72 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| SYRACUSE | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 48 HOURS | 24 HOURS | 24 HOURS |
| ABOVE TIMES DENOTE TRANSIT TIME FROM PICK UP BY CCS AT ELD SENDING LIBRARY TO DELIVERY BY CCS AT ELD RECEIVING LIBRARY. | ||||||
Number of packages
Shipping supplies
ELD will supply each participating member with an initial supply of bags and a label template. If your library’s supply of ELD bags is running low, please use the form on the ELD site to request more.
Totes will be delivered by the courier service driver from your local hub/terminal. If your library has extra totes, leave those out for the drive to return them to the hub/terminal. If your library needs totes, please inform your driver who can alert the terminal and he can bring more on the next service day.
Excess, worn or damaged bags should be sent via ELD to:
College of Saint Rose
392 Western Ave, Albany NY 12203
HUB -Albany
What to send
-
Books
-
Periodicals
-
Newspapers
-
Audio-visual materials*
-
video and audio cassettes
-
sound recordings
-
CDs
-
DVDs
-
-
including video and audiocassettes, sound recordings, CD’s
*Due to the fragile nature of some AV packaging, ELD recommends that AV materials be sent inside a hard plastic container or wrapped in bubble wrap.
What NOT to send
-
Office equipment
-
Personal Correspondence
-
Promotional Items
-
Rare or valuable books or periodicals
-
Items that cannot be replaced
Holidays
There is no ELD service on the following holidays:
-
New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
-
Presidents Day
-
Memorial Day
-
Independence Day
-
Labor Day
-
Veteran’s Day
-
Thanksgiving Day
-
Day after Thanksgiving
-
Christmas Day
Library closures
If your library is going to be closed on a day when you would normally receive a ELD pickup/delivery, please fill out the Report and Issue or Closure Form to let the courier know that no stop is necessary. Please provide a minimum of 48 hours advance notice.
Reporting Statistics
Your library should track ELD usage. All ELD participants should count the number of bags and items sent by ELD each month, and report monthly to ELD using the form below.
Please feel free to use one of these tracking sheets to help assist in gathering statistics.
Reporting Issues
Refunds
The ESLN contract with Custom Courier Solutions stipulates that ESLN will be credited for missed stops. Participating libraries will be credited for missed stops when they are invoiced for the next fiscal year. For example, a library’s 2022-2023 invoice, generated on or about July 1, 2023, would reflect a credit for all reported missed stops in the 2021-22 year.
Lost and damaged materials
The ELD policy for lost and damaged items and claim form were revised in July 2022. For the full policy see the policies and procedures manual. The Empire State Library Network (ESLN), which maintains the Empire Library Delivery (ELD) service, accepts no liability for loss of materials shipped through ELD, with the exception of those shipping using the tracking system of damage items, as outlined below.
Lost/Missing Item Definition: An item is considered lost and eligible for reimbursement when 30 days have passed since the item was sent from the shipping location. Libraries may report items as a missing resource after 10 days.
Lost/Missing Item Policy:
Items tendered to CCS from a member library in transit to another member library not arriving in 30 days will be considered lost. Claims will be paid based on the library replacement cost of the lost items to a maximum of $500.00 per item. In the event that suitable documentation of an item’s library replacement cost or value is not provided, CCS responsibility will be $100.00 per item.
Lost/Missing Claims Procedure:
Before submitting your claim, check your shelves and contact the library the item was in transit to/from to have them also check their shelves. Please do not rely solely on status information obtained from your library catalog.
Complete the Missing Resources form on the ELD website. Please wait approximately 10 business days after the materials were expected to arrive before submitting. Adding items to this form is important as it helps ELD track the number of items that have gone missing and see trends that might indicate there is a larger issue.
If the item tendered to CCS is not located after 30 days, the claims process below shall be followed:
Complete the claim form located on the Empire Library Delivery website. The report must include the title of the missing item, the shipping and receiving libraries, the date shipped, and the value of the item.
Once the item is reported missing, the courier has a maximum of 60 days from the original pick-up date from the shipping library to locate and deliver the missing item/bag. If items are not located within 60 days, the claim will be closed out, and the payment will be made in 20 days.
Damaged Item Policy:
If an item has been damaged in transit, the supplying library is entitled to full replacement of the items at the expense of the current contracted service provider.
Damaged Item Claims Procedure:
Upon receipt of the damaged items, take pictures of the item damage and bag the item came in. Also take pictures of the front cover and title page for verification purposes. A claim form with the the title, tracking number if available, shipping, and owning library must be submitted within 48 hours of receipt. The full policy can be found in the policies and procedures manual.
Items tendered to the courier from a member library in transit to another member library that arrive damaged will be eligible for reimbursement. Claim will be paid based on the provided library replacement cost of the item or items damaged to a maximum of $500.00 per item. If suitable documentation of an item’s library replacement cost or value is not provided, replacement cost will be $100.00 per item. A $10 processing fee may also be submitted.
Labeling
Label Maker
Members may also use the Rapid ship label maker.
Click here for directions for using the tracking system/label maker
CONTACT FORMS
Check the Missing Resources Summary for reported resources.
FAQs
We currently have the blue LAND or NY3R bags. Can we still use them?
Yes, ELD will continue to use the blue LAND and NY3R bags, and drivers will continue to accept them with the new service. So keep using them! We have cycled in the ELD bags, but there’s no reason to get rid of the perfectly good bags we already have in circulation.
Also, ESLN has purchased delivery totes that have been provided to each participating library. Please keep these bags and totes in circulation rather than using them around your library to store items.
We have kept statistics at our library on how many books we send out each month. Do we need to report this information to ELD?
Where do we find the city in which a library is (ex. College of Saint Rose – Albany) and where do we find the 3-letter abbreviations of the hub (ex. HUB – ALB)?
The cities for each participating library are listed on the roster. The hub abbreviations are:
Albany: ALB
Binghamton: BNG
Buffalo: BUF
New York City: NYC
Rochester: ROC
Syracuse: SYR
Will libraries be refunded for missed stops?