Trans-Amigos Express Links Courier Service with Mid-America Library Alliance/Kansas City Metropolitan Library & Information Network

Monday July 2, 2012, Trans-Amigos Express and the Mid-America Library Alliance/Kansas City Metropolitan Library & Information Network (MALA/KCMLIN) officially linked courier systems. All Trans-Amigos Express/TExpress libraries are now able to send and return ILL materials via the courier to all MALA/KCMLIN libraries. The complete list of MALA/KCMLIN libraries can be found on the TAE webpage: http://www.amigos.org/node/135. Please note that all MALA/KCMLIN libraries can receive items from the courier, but some libraries can only send and return items via USPS mail.

An OCLC group has been created to facilitate lending between courier programs. This group is called MALAMIGOS, and its symbol is MAGO. All KCMLIN/MALA and TAE/TExpress libraries have been added to this group automatically. Please contact me immediately if you are not listed as a member of the MALAMIGOS OCLC group.

To send items to the MALA/KCMLIN libraries, please use the labels provided on MALA/KCMLIN's website: www.kcmlin.org/amigos/amigosinfo.htm. This link is also available on the Trans-Amigos Express/TExpress website. MALA/KCMLIN has compiled a database of all MALA/KCMLIN and Trans-Amigos Express/TExpress libraries, and the website will generate labels that can be saved to your computer. Simply select your library in the FROM address field, select the destination in the TO address field, select the 3x5 label size, and indicate how many labels you need. The current format of the labels provided by MALA/KCMLIN does not match an Avery label template, so we ask that you please use regular paper for the labels. After you have clicked on "Create Label File," the labels will download to your computer, where you can print or save them for future use. Please note that Trans-Amigos Express/TExpress libraries will have TAE listed in front of all library names. Below is an example of how Amigos would send an item to Rock Hill Public Library in Missouri via the courier service:

Mid-America Library Alliance screenshot

Please note that selecting multiple libraries and selecting a full sheet of labels will not result in four labels per library selected. For example, if I were to select Rock Hill Public Library, Rock Island Public Library, Scott Community College, and Sherrard Public Library District, four different labels would be created on one sheet of paper. Selecting one library and a full sheet of labels, however, will result in four of the same labels on one sheet, shown below:

Mid-America Library Alliance label screenshot

The label includes each library's address and courier code. The VIA field indicates to the TAE courier that items shipped with this label will be sent to a MALA/KCMLIN library, so the sorters will know to ship those items to the MALA/KCMLIN courier. Please note that these labels are only to be used when sending items to one of the MALA/KCMLIN libraries. When sending items to a TAE library, please continue to use TAE labels.

Amigos Library Services and MALA/KCMLIN worked closely together to design a label that will work well for both couriers. Amigos contacted a number of member libraries to discuss their ILL workflow process and assess their labeling needs. We used the feedback from those libraries in planning the layout of the labels. Amigos and MALA/KCMLIN will continue to enhance the labeling system during the coming months, and soon hope to develop a labeling solution that will accommodate all libraries’ labeling needs. We welcome any feedback you may have to help us continue to develop the labeling system. Please contact me at tae@amigos.org if you have any questions or concerns regarding the upcoming link with MALA/KCMLIN.