May 2025

Quick Facts

• Holds and returns going from libraries to the Sort Center may be mixed and put in any non-black crate.
• For items going to libraries from the Sort Center:
  • Red and gray crates will be used for returns, including new materials.
  • Yellow and blue crates will be used for holds.
• Black crates will be used for discards and donations.
  • Discards and donations can be mixed in a black crate with a green FOL streamer.
  • Discarded media in poor condition should be recycled at your location. 

Procedure

The Automated Materials Handling (AMH) at the Operations Center uses these processes

• All returns and new items will go through the Sort Center AMH and will be tracked with IMMS.
• Holds and returns going to the Sort Center do not have to be separated and can be packed in any non-black crate.
• Holds and returns going from the Sort Center to locations will be separated.
  • Red and gray crates will be used for any returns and new materials not on hold.
  • Blue and yellow crates will be used for holds.
  • Black crates will be used for discards and donations.
    • Discards and donations go into a black crate with a green FOL streamer. Condition does not matter with these exceptions:
      • Immediately bag up and throw away items that are wet, moldy, have bodily fluids on them, strong odors, etc. Do not send these to any other work group.
      • Discarded media in poor condition should be recycled at your location.
• IMMS should manage inventory levels at libraries so there should not be a need to send excess materials to OPS as overflow. In those rare instances when that does happen, send materials in a separate crate with a blue OPS Overflow streamer.
• New items are not separated or marked in crates.

How streamers are used

• All outgoing crates from the Sort Center will have streamers around the handle showing the library where they are going.
  • Hold crates will have yellow streamers.
  • Return crates will have white streamers.
• Discards and donations, including media, can be mixed in a black crate with a green FOL streamer.
• Replacement streamers can be ordered through Business Forms and Streamers form.

Rationale

• Return and hold items going to the Sort Center do not have to be separated and can be put in any crate color that isn’t black. The large AMH at OPS can sort returns and holds at the same time.
• Discards and donations are put in black crates with a FOL streamer and sent to OPS so that they can be processed by Friends of the Library.
• New items will no longer be separately marked in blue crates because they will go directly from Technical Services to the Sort Center AMH.