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G2S Project Code: 2017-CT-79104
State: Connecticut
Fiscal Year: 2017
Grantee
Connecticut State Library

Project Director
Director Name: Dawn La Valle
Director Phone: 860-757-6500
Director Email: dawn.lavalle@ct.gov
General Information
Title: Statewide Delivery System (deliverIT CT)
State Project Code:
Start Date: 10/01/2016
End Date: 09/30/2018
Abstract:

LSTA underwrites part of the cost of physical materials delivery among 216 of the state’s public and academic libraries. The delivery system, named deliverIT CT, is the backbone of the state’s resource sharing. deliverIT CT enables reciprocal borrowing in Connecticut: items borrowed from participating institutions may be dropped off at any library, and then deliverIT CT returns the materials to the owning library. In this way,borrowers can use their hometown library cards in any public library in Connecticut and be sure that materials will be returned where they belong. deliverIT CT also supports interlibrary loan through delivery of user-requested library materials between libraries in the state.

 

After a combination of volume increases and budget cutbacks in recent years, the State Library took actions to sustain delivery while continuing to provide fair and equitable service to libraries.



State Goal: Resources and delivery systems
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$523,976.00
$572,608.00
$0.00
$1,096,584.00
Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.
Collection Development & Management
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Pickup, sort, deliver
Narrative:

Materials shipped include all physical formats (books, DVDs,CDs, etc). State library staff pick up materials from participating librariesup to five days per week, return to the central sorting facility to sort allitems picked up that day, and deliver the materials in the following daysaccording to their route schedules.

 

The limit of no more than 3 bins per stop up to 5 days aweek, instituted in July 2017, has allowed deliverIT to become a sustainableand manageable service. Some libraries are now receiving more deliveries perweek than previously in 2016 when the statewide volume was unmanageable. TheLION consortium has hired a delivery service to transport their "systemholds,” the Library Connection consortium has hired a delivery service to handleany overages, and the Bibliomation consortium hired a service to move materials between 12 oftheir 62 libraries, all of which have helped reduce deliverIT volume.



Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Lending
Format: Physical


Quantity
Total number of items circulated: 1,498,405
Average number of items circulated / month: 124,867
Total number of ILL transactions: 0
Average number of ILL transactions / month: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: Yes
Specific Locations: No
Library Types
Public Libraries: 179
Academic Libraries: 34
SLAA: 3
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 0
Other: 0
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
In order to get a more accurate estimate of the number of items delivered, CSL asked libraries to count their incoming and outgoing items daily and report those numbers quarterly. By the last quarter of FY2018, 139 libraries submitted data (64% of libraries that receive delivery). Extrapolating to all 216 libraries, the service delivered 1.5 million items in FY 2018 (1,498,405 items incoming and 1,519,676 items outgoing).
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:

Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:

Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:
CSL will continue to review and adjust routes and delivery schedules to match the number of delivery staff, which may decrease in the next year.
Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
Yes
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Administrative Records
Direct Observation
Interviews
Focus Groups
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Qualitative Methods
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
Word of mouth – We asked participants to tell their community/friends/family and encourage them to participate.
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
No comparison for any reported output or outcome: There was no previous evaluation of the service to compare.
Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeThis year, the deliverIT CT service saved Connecticut's libraries approximately $3.6 million in postage costs (at $2.41 per item, book rate), while the cost to provide service was approximately $995,000 (a combination of state and LSTA funding).
Project Tags: ILL, Ccar