----------(1)
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 16:13:59 -0400
From: "Daughtry, Wesley Neal" <DAUGHTRYW@MAIL.ECU.EDU>
Subject: Re: West Group packing slips (Eleanor Cook)

We too have noticed the change from the usual packing slip to the
impossible to peel off package labels.  I have been diligently removing
these (or trying too) to keep as a record of receipt and to match against
the monthly invoice.  I waited with eager anticipation of the new invoice
format and have just received our copy.  It does indeed list each title
with a unit price, sales tax amount and total amount.  But I will still
need to tear off the packing labels to ensure that we received what's
listed on the invoice. I have had maybe one or two labels to peel off
neatly, but that's it.  The new format does make it somewhat difficult to
retain the labels until the invoice arrives.  Sort of a 50/50 change -
some good and some not so good.

My .02 worth.
Wes

Wes Daughtry
Joyner Library Periodicals
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
daughtryw@mail.ecu.edu
252-328-2442

Date: Sat, 08 Sep 2001 15:13:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: ELEANOR COOK <COOKEI@appstate.edu>

Dear colleagues,

I am posting this to ACQNET and SERIALST for our staff because I know
that in some libraries acquisitions staff deal with legal materials and
in others, serials staff handle these.  In any case, I would also
appreciate it if any of you law libarians could send this posting to
one of your lists.

We have noticed recently that West Group packing slips have changed.
They used to be approx. 6 x 7 1/2 inch pieces of paper that came in an
envelope on the outside of the box. They are now peel off labels. These
new labels are hard to handle and the staff here have called West to
complain.  We use these packing slips for inputting invoice information
into our online system. They are saved until the actual invoice comes
(around once a month) and travel along with the invoice since they show
the charges per title.

The other change we have noticed is that they used to break down
state tax on the packing slip - these amounts are entered into
our online system in a different fund code. This information is no
longer provided on the packing slip. The customer service rep. I spoke
to said that the new invoice will show this detail, but we have not
seen one of these yet. Once we see a new version of the invoice our
concern might be alleviated (or aggravated, we're not sure yet).

In the mean time, our staff's main complaint is that these packing
slips are hard to handle and keep, don't always peel off correctly,
etc.  The customer service people at West Group seem well aware that
customers do not like this change.

If your library is receiving these new labels and your staff find them
troublesome, please complain. Maybe they will listen if enough people
call them.

Thanks,
Jackie Byrd and Mary Ruble
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
[via Eleanor Cook - cookei@appstate.edu]

----------(2)
Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 15:10:58 -0500
From: Diane Neumeister <DNEUMEIS@LORAS.EDU>
Subject: Re: West Group packing slips (Eleanor Cook)

I just received one of the new invoices today for our last Corpus Juris
Secundum shipment.  Cost is broken down by volume and there is a place on
the invoice for tax. Since we're a tax-exempt institution, the amount
shown for tax is zero, but it's there.  This is a BIG improvement over
the old "statements" that had just a single amount no matter how many
volumes were included in the total.
Di

**********************************************************************
Di Neumeister
Serials Asst.
Wahlert Memorial Library
Loras College

phone: 563-588-4969**
fax: 563-588-7292 **
e-mail: dneumeis@loras.edu