Delivery

The Shipping & Receiving Department of the Mid-Hudson Library System is responsible for the delivery and pick-up of library materials being shared throughout the System between member libraries in the five-county region served.

Mid-Hudson Library System contracts with Valley Courier to provide delivery to Mid-Hudson Library System member libraries. Delivery is provided Monday through Friday, except major holidays, and there are 296 stops per week.

Five routes for the region served are run on Monday and Tuesday with four routes on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with most delivery and pick-up occurring between 3:30am and 12pm. Please be aware that routes and times are subject to change.

Member library responsibilities, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions are listed below. If you have any other questions, please contact Tom Finnigan (x244) or Chris Herron (x247).

Delivery Schedule
  • Schedule by Library: effective 07/01/23
  • Schedule By Day: effective 07/01/23
  • Holidays: see the MHLS Calendar for specific dates. MHLS closed, and no deliveries on:
    • New Year’s Day
    • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    • Presidents’ Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Juneteenth
    • Independence Day
    • Labor Day
    • Veterans Day
    • Thanksgiving Day
    • Day After Thanksgiving
    • Christmas Day
Member Library Responsibilities
  • NEW: Pre-Sorting Tips for Member Libraries
  • Place Mid-Hudson shipping bins and other authorized items that do not fit in bins with a Non-Bin Form, for pick-up, in the same place every day. If we bring three bins on Monday, there should be three bins sitting there on Tuesday whether there are items in them or not.
  • The Non-Bin Form must be attached to any authorized materials going through the MHLS delivery system that are separate from the regular shipping bins. Materials will not be picked up unless this form is attached.
  • Provide a clear and unobstructed path to the bins inside and outside your library.
  • Do not send fragile items, boxes of book donations, furniture, or materials that are rare or irreplaceable.
  • Follow the MHLS Delivery Packaging Recommendations.
  • Place items in shipping bins in an organized manner. The neater the bins are, the less that have to be used.
  • Items of the same size can be banded together but do not band together items going to different destinations. Uneven sized banded items will be taken apart so we can utilize all space in a shipping bin.
  • Materials going to a correctional facility should have their Delivery Routing Slip addressed to “MHLS ILL Dept”.
  • Notify Mid-Hudson ahead of time of any lock, key or alarm changes.
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: To whom are the drivers responsible and who manages the delivery service?

A: The drivers are responsible to Valley Courier but interact with Mid-Hudson Library System personnel daily. Management of the delivery service is by Mid-Hudson Library System personnel.

Q: How do I report delivery problems?

A: Contact Tom Finnigan (x244) or Chris Herron (x247) or the Shipping/Receiving Department (x218) at Mid-Hudson.

Q: What if an item is lost?

A: Post a message to the Mid-Hudson Library System listserv first, as we have found that many items are misplaced and put on non-owning libraries shelves by mistake. Also, use the Sierra system to thoroughly investigate the trail of the item. If the item is still not located, we will work with Valley Courier to solve the problem.

Q: What do I do if my delivery doesn’t arrive?

A: If there is a change in the schedule of the daily delivery, MHLS staff will post a message to the MHLS Alerts Email List, and to the top of the MHLS homepage. Please understand that there are many variables that may affect delivery such as accidents, road construction, weather, post-holiday volume, vehicle breakdown, detours, etc.

Q: What will happen to an item that loses its Delivery Routing Slip?

A: The item will be sent to the owning library.

Q: What is the procedure for sending computers to Mid-Hudson for repair if you have signed a contract with us?

A: Securely package the computer in a durable box, preferably a computer box, and attach a Non-Bin Form to the box.

Q: What is the procedure for returning items from other libraries?

A: The only items that can be returned in the MHLS delivery box are:

Any other items (including SEAL items from libraries not on this list, items dropped off by patrons from libraries not on this list, items belonging to school libraries) must be returned directly by your library through mail or UPS.

Q: What to do if a library believes materials have been damaged?

A: Library staff should verify that the damage did not occur before the item was placed in delivery by contacting the sending library. If the sending library confirms the item was not damaged prior to delivery/pick-up, and the receiving library owns the item and would like to file a damage claim, send the damaged item to Tom Finnigan or Chris Herron in MHLS Delivery Operations. If the receiving library does not own the item, return it to the owning library for their decision of whether to pursue filing a damage claim. If the owning library chooses to file a claim, and confirms the item was not damaged prior to delivery/pick-up, forward the damaged item to MHLS Delivery Operations. In submitting a claim for loss or damage, MHLS must notify the vendor within thirty (30) days of the date of shipment in which the goods and materials were damaged. With a damaged item in hand, MHLS will file a damaged materials claim with the delivery vendor seeking the Amazon replacement cost for the item and MHLS will reimburse the library owning an item damaged during delivery.

Materials Delivery Policy for Outside Organizations

Click here to download the Materials Delivery Policy for Outside Organizations

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