RIDES (formerly known as MeL Delivery) is a statewide library courier service, servicing Michigan libraries, provided by ProMed Delivery, Inc. of Shelby Township, MI.

MCLS Contact:  Sue Alt    800-530-9019 ext 143    alts@mcls.org

RIDES Assistance

RIDES Participating Libraries (a list of all RIDES libraries with contact information, hub zone, and agency codes)

Hub zone codes: 100 Grayling     101 Upper Peninsula     200 Grand Rapids     300 Kalamazoo     400 Flint     500 Royal Oak     700 Jackson

More information about libraries participating in RIDES

• Email listserv - discussion and announcements
  
• FAQ
  
• Labels - Making, Searching, and Tips
  
• Label Maker Site
  
• Policies
  
• Pricing
  
• Procedures
  
• RIDES Assistance
  
• Start-Up information
  



RIDES 2011 Service Survey Report

RIDES 2011 Turn Around Study Report

RIDES 2011 Volume Chart



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• From Here to There: Adventures in RIDES (2011 MeL Cat Users Day Presentation with Survey Statistics)
• What is wrong with this picture? (A look at some RIDES materials sent in 2011...)



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RIDES etiquette:


• Please include your MeL Agency Code (z code) on the book band or label that is attached to the item.
• All items sent via RIDES should be clearly marked with ownership information. 
• Libraries with more than one location on the label maker should clearly indicate on the items they lend where the item is to be returned.
• ALL delivery labels should be created with the RIDES label maker, and should not be printed in advance, due to changes.
  
• When printing delivery labels, verify that BOTH the MeL Agency code and the name of the library are correct.
  
• Delivery labels should be secured to the packaging, or secured to the item with multiple heavyweight rubber bands.  Your items will be handled many times in the course of delivery, and a single small rubber band will not last. If you are using a plain paper label, tape it to one of the rubber bands so that the label is not lost.
  
• If you should receive an item at your library that does not belong to you, and it is not requested by one of your patrons, please return it to the library that owns it, via RIDES.  Many times these items sit on “problem” shelves when they should be returned as soon as possible. If in doubt, send the item to ZY001 MCLS - attention Sue Alt.
• ALL AV MATERIALS MUST BE PACKAGED ALL OF THE TIME.  RIDES procedures indicate that bubble-wrap, padded envelopes, or boxes must be used.
• Do not EVER attach, staple, tape, or glue ANYTHING to items that do not belong to you including removable or non-removable labels, removable or non-removable tape, or removable sticky notes. You may attach notes to the label the lending library has placed on their item.
  
• As a general rule, return items packaged however they have arrived at your library. Please adhere to special packaging requests.
• Feel free to contact other libraries directly with questions, comments, or requests (see the Participants list).
• It is strongly recommended that libraries add the MeL agency code to their OCLC Constant Data.  There is a field entitled "Ship Via" in the Constant Data Record.  Make the entry in this format (with your own MeL Agency Code, of course): Shipped Via   MeLCat zz001




• An overview of the RIDES process
• Adventures in RIDES