Libraries Save Big Using Statewide Courier System!

There have been two major studies conducted in the last ten years on the efficiency of using a statewide courier system to facilitate the transfer of materials between libraries. The first of these studies was conducted in 2004 and the second in 2006-2007. The purpose of these studies was to conclusively show that the use of a statewide courier service was saving libraries money over using any of the available services to ship their goods. The study was also used to determine the extent of those savings. In both studies, the emphasis was placed on studying the goods that were shipped, as this is where the majority of cost was incurred when shipping with the exception of a small amount of COD orders.

The studies compared the cost of the statewide New York courier services to those of the most commonly used large shipping services: FedEx, The USPS, and UPS. Neither study was analyzing a complete picture of all of the libraries in the State. Instead, they were trying to extrapolate approximate results based on a sampling of both public and academic institutions.  The results in both studies were similar in many ways.

Although it was shown that it was difficult to come up with accurate figures based on either, the population served by the areas or the number of stops on the courier routes, the average amount determined to be saved was significant. In 2004, the study suggested that up to 1.4 million dollars was saved by libraries as opposed to the cost they would have faced by using the next least expensive option – the US postal service. In the later study, the suggested savings created by using the State courier service dropped somewhat, to $600,000 – $1 million. These savings were being compared to the USPS, and it should be clear that the cost would increase greatly if the libraries were using a service like FedEx; the most expensive option. In 2006-2007, the estimated maximum difference between the cost of the courier and the cost of FedEx could have been as much as $2.1 million dollars.

The use of a statewide courier or a national courier service that offers statewide courier service saves money on both ends of the transaction between libraries. The proof of this is shown in the interlibrary traffic increase. There is a group of libraries between Colorado and Wyoming that uses statewide couriers and, between 2003 and 2006, the number of requests made by that system of libraries tripled; showing that public and academic institutions are taking advantage of these savings. This, in turn, is making the library system as a whole more viable so that the public and students can have all of the materials they require quickly and easily.