Important for both Serialsters and Publishers:

I want to bring to your attention a current practice of UPS.  If the local
receiving office decides your shipping address is incorrect, they will put a
white label over top the original address label and charge the shipper $5
per package.  Big deal, you may say.  We all know they can't deliver to a PO
Box, they must have a street address.  But, WHAT IF THEY PUT ON THE WRONG
LABEL ??

U Cincinnati has two libraries within a mile that receive packages through
UPS.  The main library receives hundreds of packages a day,  and doesn't do
the package checking I do when the delivery man arrives.  I was finding many
incorrect label changes-UPS was charging the shipper needlessly because
someone at the local UPS sorting dept. put an incorrect address label on the
package.  I received packages for the main library, the dean's office, the
administration office, and many other departments within the College of
Medicine.  Our packages would take trips throughout the campus but would
usually make it back.  By June 2001 almost every package we received had a
correction label on it, whether it needed it or not.  I had contacted our
shippers and told them about the practice and hoped they'd refuse to pay the
charges.

Unfortunately, because of this practice, 4 books - $535.00 worth - were lost
in transit.  I went on UPS' website and looked up the tracing numbers.
EVERY PACKAGE HAD THE "ADDRESS CORRECTED."   It happens that the publisher
(all were from the same publisher) uses our correct shipping address even
including our room number.  That's when I got mad.  I began emailing the
customer service address on the web site and making phone calls to the local
office filing complaints.  My department head joked that I 'declared war' on
UPS and was behind me all the way.  I'm not counting my chickens, but
amazingly I haven't seen another 'correction' label since.

The publisher was very kind and resent the books, especially when told to
inspect their UPS shipping bills and remove address correction charges.

The bottom line is if the publishers get this ridiculous charge too much,
they'll increase shipping costs.  It all gets back to us.  Make sure your
shippers have and use your correct address.  If UPS puts the 'correction'
stickers needlessly on your packages, start emailing and calling as I did.
Get the phone number from you delivery person.  Maybe we can put a stop to
the practice.

Journally Yours,

Carol Feustel

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Carol S. Feustel                              phone: 513-558-0179
Serials Specialist                            fax:      513-558-1709
Health Sciences Library                 email: carol.feustel@uc.edu
University of Cincinnati
MSB R101 Box 670574
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH  45267-0574
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           The Original Journal Goddess.  Accept no imitations!!
                 Opinions expressed are mine, not my employers

                 A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. (Hershy)