Dear Members,

We want to provide clarification regarding the recent email about the use of rubber bands and padded mailers.

The guidelines for rubber bands and padded mailers mentioned in the original message apply only to items sent from SHARE members to SHARE members via Polaris, which are automatically sorted.

For items that are hand-sorted, including those sent via OCLC, ILDS, or for Cataloging purposes, you may continue to use rubber bands and padded mailers as usual. The request for rubber bands and padded mailers is for automated sorted items.

Additionally, we’re planning another Special AMHS Members Matter virtual meeting on July 7 at 10:00 a.m. More details will be shared in the next Member Connection newsletter.

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your attention and continued cooperation.

Best regards,

Colleen Dettenmeier
Delivery & Facilities Director
cdettenmeier@illinoisheartland.org
618.474.9921 (teams)

618.484.8691 (cell)

Illinois Heartland Library System
Imagining Tomorrow, Delivering Possibilities Today!
www.illinoisheartland.org • 618.656.3216
Carbondale • Champaign • Edwardsville
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From: Colleen Dettenmeier
Sent: Monday, May 5, 2025 11:24 AM
To: Lia McInerney via Route ZED-01 <route-zed-01@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-02 <route-zed-02@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; route-zed-03@lists.illinoisheartland.org; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-04 <route-zed-04@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-05 <route-zed-05@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-06 <route-zed-06@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-07 <route-zed-07@lists.illinoisheartland.org>
Subject: RE: Edwardsville Hub Now Sorting with Sorting Machine – Important Updates for SHARE Members

Good morning,

One additional consideration we realized late Friday is that if an item's status changes after it has left the originating library, the sorting machine will still route it to the correct bin based on the updated status.

As a result, you may receive items with a transit label that lists another library as the destination. However, when you scan the item into Polaris, you may notice that the status has changed in transit and the item is now correctly coming to your library.

Please keep this in mind—if you notice the transit label lists a different library, it may simply be due to a status change during transit. We have been trying to remove transit labels for items that have changed status so that it will not create confusion.

Best regards,

Colleen Dettenmeier
Delivery & Facilities Director
cdettenmeier@illinoisheartland.org
618.474.9921 (teams)

618.484.8691 (cell)

From: Colleen Dettenmeier
Sent: Friday, May 2, 2025 3:22 PM
To: Lia McInerney via Route ZED-01 <route-zed-01@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-02 <route-zed-02@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; route-zed-03@lists.illinoisheartland.org; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-04 <route-zed-04@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-05 <route-zed-05@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-06 <route-zed-06@lists.illinoisheartland.org>; Lia McInerney via Route ZED-07 <route-zed-07@lists.illinoisheartland.org>
Subject: Edwardsville Hub Now Sorting with Sorting Machine – Important Updates for SHARE Members

Dear Edwardsville Hub SHARE Members,

We’re excited to announce that the Edwardsville hub has officially begun using the sorting machine for processing SHARE member items!

As we transition into this new phase, please take note of the following important reminders and updates:

Transit Labels: We will continue using transit labels for SHARE member-to-member deliveries through December 31, as part of the ongoing barcode duplication project. When applying transit labels, please ensure the barcode remains visible and is not covered, as it will need to be scanned.

Barcode Placement: Whenever possible, place items in tubs with the barcode facing up to help streamline the sorting process.

Mailers: Items placed in padded mailers will be removed before sorting. To avoid this, please discontinue the use of padded mailers. If additional protection is needed, we recommend using a clear envelope instead.

Rubber Bands: Rubber bands should not be used to secure items closed, as they can interfere with machine processing. We will remove the rubber bands if they interfere with the sorting process.

Tub Weight Limit: The tub weight limit will remain at 40 pounds, though we recommend keeping tubs to 35 pounds for ease of handling. Please do not fill the tubs past the yellow fill line indicated by the stickers inside.

Items in Tubs Delivered to You: Items delivered to your library may appear slightly different than what you are accustomed to. The machine sorts items by directing them left and right, which means they may not arrive perfectly stacked as they did in the past. Our sorting staff is working to straighten up the tubs as items are sorted, but they may still look different.

We will print memos for each library and its branches, sending them with our drivers on Monday. Please contact me if you would like an additional copy!

Thank you for your cooperation and support as we continue to improve our services. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Colleen Dettenmeier
Delivery & Facilities Director
cdettenmeier@illinoisheartland.org
618.474.9921 (teams)

618.484.8691 (cell)