2 messages, 55 lines:

(1)----------------------
Date:         Fri, 23 Feb 1996 17:30:00 -0800
From:         David_Fisher@UCSDLIBRARY.UCSD.EDU
Subject:      Re: Fulfilment Centers

   Responding to Donna Sue Yanney...

> .  I have been told that f.c.s use
> software that was set up by the US post office and that, well it doesn't
> make sense to me, something about four line addresses revert to the nearest
> city with the mail postal hub.  Has anyone else heard of this?  Can
> anyone explain it to me?

          Yes, it seems the Post Office is providing vendors and
          publishers with this new software for addressing their
          customers. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE, I JUST KNOW
          THEY ARE DOING IT. This came to light last year when all our
          Ebsco subscriptions began arriving with a nine-digit zip
          that no longer matched the library's. We went from
          92093-0175 to 92093-5003 and God only knows where the 5003
          came from. This is significant for us because in times past
          the 0175 was used exclusively for routing mail to the
          libary mail room. Every department on campus has a unique
          mail code which we append as the last four digits of the
          ZIP.  This helped reduce mail sorting errors so Professor
          X's subscription didn't wind up in the library and vice
          versa.  The 92093 ZIP is used exclusively for the University
          of California, San Diego so why the Post Office found it
          beneficial to standardize the last four digits is beyond
          comprehension.

          This doesn't help you, Donna Sue, but it does confirm what
          you've been told, more or less.

          David (Dave) Fisher    e-mail <dfisher@ucsd.edu>
          Head,Acquisitions
          Scripps Institution of Oceanography Library
          9500 GILMAN DRIVE DEPT 0175C
          La Jolla,CA 92093-0175

(2)-----------------------
Date:         Sat, 24 Feb 1996 23:00:33 EST
From:         Albert Henderson <70244.1532@COMPUSERVE.COM>
Subject:      Fulfilment Centers

The address verification system that adds zip+4 and carrier routes is generally
pretty good, but it needs help to approach perfection. The problem is in the
details which vary from one circumstance to another. I recommend that you write
to your postmaster, explaining your specific problem and indicating the cost to
you in labor and lost merchandise.

Al Henderson, editor, Publishing Research Quarterly