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Services

What Happens in Minitex Delivery?

The Minitex Delivery Unit processes incoming materials, sorts and packs outgoing materials and picks up retrieved materials from all of the campus libraries at Wilson Library, Walter Library and the Biomedical Library.

We receive our initial delivery of tubs before any staff arrives. The tubs are staged in the Cavern Level loading dock of the Minnesota Library Access Center. At 7:00 AM, staff load the staged tubs on the cavern level conveyor system that sends the tubs up to the Minitex office.

As the morning progresses more tubs arrive. The U.S. Postal Service and UPS arrive sometime between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM during the day. Every item that arrives is processed as soon as it arrives. This makes for a faster turnaround time for materials moving throughout the Minitex region.

Three times during each day one of our staff members drives the Minitex Delivery Unit Van to Wilson Library to return discharged materials to all campus libraries, deliver filled ILL borrowing requests to the Wilson Library Circulation office and pick up Minitex filled requests to process and pack in the Minitex Overnight Delivery System.

During the day we make one stop each at Hennepin County Library—Minneapolis, Walter Library, Magrath Library and the Biomedical Library to pick up filled requests. The last pick up at Wilson Library is done at 8:00 PM This late pick up is to get as much into the delivery system as we can. Staff is in the office packing tubs and loading the conveyor until 11:00 PM

Some of the material from the Minitex Overnight Delivery service is sorted, packed and sent from our office for delivery the following morning. This allows for direct borrowing among participating libraries. Minitex is constantly monitoring interlibrary loan traffic and expanding these direct delivery services to meet the needs of our participants. Use the links at the top of this page to learn more about these services.

Additional Services for Libraries

Delivery Information for MnPALS Libraries

MnPALS Direct Borrowing materials are items that are requested by MnPALS libraries from other MnPALS libraries. Filled and returned materials are sent to the Minitex office and are sorted by the Minitex Delivery Unit for delivery to other MnPALS libraries. Our participants who use this service can usually see items delivered in about 1-3 business days. The routing slips that are used for MnPALS Direct Borrowing are pink. These libraries can change their lending status at any time.

Courtesy Return Service

The Courtesy Return Service provides a fast, efficient and cost effective means of returning materials to their home library. The library that received the item sends it to Minitex through our courier system.

To make use of this service, you must first check the list to determine whether the home library is one included in the Minitex Overnight Delivery System—Courier Libraries list. Proceed by inserting the orange routing form labeled "Courtesy Return" into the item, with the correct three-letter code printed on the form. Finally, place the item in the tub to be routed to Minitex. Once received, we will forward the item to the home library.

CLIC Service

The CLIC Service allows materials to be routed quickly and efficiently to and from the CLIC libraries and the Minitex Delivery System.

Take the Virtual Tour

Delores the Book Take a slideshow tour of the Minitex Delivery System to see the process from the book's point of view, hosted by Delores the Book.