Routing slips for NHSL van service

Hello folks,

I know you’ve heard this message before, but it bears repeating since we are challenged on a daily basis to sort books into the correct bins based on the information on a routing slip.

Please read the instructions on our website about how to prepare routing slips for materials sent on the van. It is important that routing slips be legible and follow the format we describe in the directions.

We need more than just the name of the town (does a book for “Manchester” go to the City Library, the Community College, St. Anselm, or another library?). And be careful of abbreviations (is the book for “Manchester C” going to the City Library or the Community College; is the book for “N Hampton” going to North Hampton or New Hampton?). So please include the name of the town, then the name of the library on the routing slip.

AND, remember that many small libraries are receiving their materials in a bin going to a larger library. For instance, Keene receives books for Alstead, Marlow, Richmond, Stoddard, etc. The books for those smaller libraries are all going into the Keene bin. That is why we ask you to format the routing slip like this:

                TO:  Keene

                         Keene PL

                FOR: Marlow PL

The person sorting books should not be looking for a Marlow bin, they need to put it in the Keene bin. And when Keene gets the books, they will know that book is for Marlow, not them.

Our van directory is online and can be printed off. Please make sure it is used by staff addressing items for the van. When it says “Plainfield (Philip Read Memorial Library)[via Meriden]” that means Plainfield receives their materials via drop off at Meriden. So the routing slip should say:

                TO: Meriden PL

                FOR: Plainfield

I hope this all made sense and I hope you will all please make use of our van delivery materials. Thank you

Donna V. Gilbreth

Supervisor, Reference and Information Services

New Hampshire State Library

20 Park Street

Concord, NH 03301

603-271-2060

donna.gilbreth@dcr.nh.gov