University Community

Libraries’ OhioLINK and intercampus delivery services suspended March 11 through end of Spring Semester

OhioLINK is transitioning to a more reliable courier service this spring, and University Libraries is confident this transition will restore its historically excellent delivery service.  In order to expedite the migration to another courier provider, OhioLINK needs to shut down the service from March 11 through the end of spring semester. 

When the state of Ohio changed the OhioLINK courier service in summer 2021, all libraries across the state encountered service disruptions and significant delays in the delivery of library materials to patrons. Despite extensive work with the courier over the last nine months, these shortcomings have not been addressed, so the state has been forced to change courier companies this spring.  OhioLINK will be resuming its partnership with Priority, the company who provided delivery prior to July 2021, and is confident that they will be able to deliver the Libraries’ materials efficiently once again.  

  • From March 11 through the end of spring term, faculty, staff and students will not be able to request material through the OhioLINK Central Catalog. This is necessary to avoid a backlog of materials in the system during the transition. 
  • Since Ohio University's intercampus lending uses the courier service, items will not be delivered between campus libraries. The OHIO community will also not be able to request items from other Ohio University campus libraries through the ALICE catalog.
  • Librarians will be very happy to discuss faculty, staff and student needs and help look for alternate formats or other ways to secure materials, such as using InterLibrary Loan, which does not rely on this intrastate delivery service. 
  • If research materials are needed after March 11 through the end of the semester, librarians and staff have provided some guidance on how to help access those research materials.   

University Libraries appreciates the OHIO community’s patience with these disruptions, as librarians and staff work with OhioLINK to implement this more sustainable long-term solution.  

For more questions, please contact a subject librarian, archivist or the service desk staff

Published
March 1, 2022
Author
Staff reports