[ILL-L] Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes- anyone using them? & del confirmation

[Joe Ellison]

I suspect the post office handles the various types of shipments in
different ways, and takes a "you get what you pay for" approach to the
delivery confirmations.

The delivery confirmation on the flat rate boxes may differ from what you
purchase with your library rate shipments. I'm talking about generating an
unpaid priority mailing label online, then metering the packages through a
central mail room. USPS gives you get electronic delivery confirmation for
no charge when you generate priority labels online, with or without postage.
I've never received a notice of delivery until well after the package has
been received, and that notice has never contained interim scan points.
Likewise, I've never been able to get interim information from their online
system while the shipment was still en route. I'm glad to know that it works
more like ordinary tracking for some shipments, in any event. 

The costs for the flat rate containers, when postage is not paid online, are
$4.95 for the envelope & the small box, $10.35 for the two types of medium
box, and over $13.50 (discount not stated on the site) for the large box <
https://www.prioritymail.com/flatrates.asp?id=17402944&ssno=27707>. For all
of these UPS costs the same or less for the bulk of what I ship. With
practically no loss rate, and both tracking and insurance included in the
cost, I'm sticking with UPS.

Joe Ellison
Document Delivery and Digital Initiatives Assistant
Transportation Library, Northwestern University
phone: (847)491-8600
j-ellison at northwestern.edu

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org]
> On Behalf Of Catlin, Valerie
> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 9:14 AM
> To: Interlibrary Loan Listserv
> Subject: RE: [ILL-L] Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes- anyone using them? &
> del confirmation
> 
> Hi,
> I beg to differ a bit about USPS delivery confirmation: while it is
> not always perfect, and not always current to the hour, I find
> that intermediate stops are often displayed, and quickly, too:
> 
> for example, this item was mailed (library rate) on the afternoon of
> 7/15
> from Schenectady, NY:
> Detailed Results:
> Delivered, July 18, 2009, 7:37 am, AMES, IA 50011
> Processed through Sort Facility, July 17, 2009, 6:40 pm, DES MOINES, IA
> 50395
> Processed through Sort Facility, July 16, 2009, 5:32 am, JERSEY CITY, NJ
> 07097
> 
> this item was mailed library rate on the afternoon of 6/12 from
> Schenectady, NY:
> Detailed Results:
>  Delivered, June 15, 2009, 8:24 am, NEW YORK, NY 10033
>  Processed through Sort Facility, June 14, 2009, 7:20 pm, BETHPAGE, NY
> 11714
>  Processed through Sort Facility, June 13, 2009, 7:43 pm, SPRINGFIELD,
> MA 01152
> 
> If for some reason, you cannot access the information online,
> (I had one delivered back, so it showed as delivered here), call your
> local PO and ask for a supervisor- they can see it.
> 
> On the whole, it is good value (only .80) for the peace of mind.
> 
> Valerie Catlin
> Mohawk Valley Library System
> 858 Duanesburg Road
> Schenectady, NY 12306-1095
> 518-355-2010 x230  fax 518-355-0674
> vcatlin at mvls.info
> www.mvls.info
> OCLC: VML
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Joe Ellison
> Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 3:34 PM
> To: 'Interlibrary Loan Listserv'
> Subject: RE: [ILL-L] Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes- anyone using them?
> ...
> 
> The only issue is that delivery confirmation is categorically not
> tracking.
> It often isn't updated until 24 hours or more after the package has been
> delivered. It isn't updated at stops along the way, in the manner of
> UPS, so
> you truly don't know where it is between the time they pick it up and
> the
> time it's delivered. I'm not convinced that it will help the post office
> locate the package on the off-chance that it goes astray, since I'm not
> sure
> it's scanned anywhere but the sending office and the final destination.
> 
> Joe Ellison
> Document Delivery and Digital Initiatives Assistant
> Transportation Library, Northwestern Univ Library (OCLC = JCR)
> 1970 Campus Dr, Evanston, IL 60208-2300
> voice: 847-491-8600, fax: 847-491-8601
> j-ellison at northwestern.edu
> http://www.library.northwestern.edu/transportation/
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org
> > [mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Tom Bruno
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 3:47 PM
> > To: ILLiad-l Discussion List; Interlibrary Loan Listserv
> > Subject: [ILL-L] Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes- anyone using them?
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I was wondering- has anyone been using the new Priority Mail Flat Rate
> > Boxes for their ILL shipping?  Seems like it might be a viable
> > alternative to FedEx or UPS if you add Delivery Confirmation.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Tom Bruno
> > Head of Resource Sharing, Innovation, and Outreach
> > Widener Library
> > Harvard University
> >