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IA Shares FAQ

Find answers to common questions about the IA Shares delivery service for public libraries. Jump to questions about:

Contract and Funding

How long is the contract? 
The contract with Stat Courier is for one year with up to five annual extension renewals. The State Library will then need to do another Request for Proposal (RFP).

How is the delivery service being funded? 
The State Library is using federal Library Service Technology Act funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for this program.

Is there a charge for libraries to use this service?
There is no charge to public libraries to use IA Shares Delivery Service.

What will it cost libraries beyond year one? 
It is the intent of the State Library to continue this program for the foreseeable future with no cost to the individual libraries. 

Can a library opt out of the service?
All public libraries are part of the delivery service and the designated routes are key to the success of the program. Every public library in Iowa will get a regularly scheduled stop each week, even if there is nothing to pick up or be delivered.

Can any library in Iowa, such as special libraries or school libraries, use this system?
IA Shares is not available to any other libraries in Iowa such as academic libraries (public and private, community or regent), nor does it deliver to any private libraries, museums, archives or other cultural institutions. The funding and contract for the third-party courier and administrative services comes from state and federal funds, which limits this service to only the public libraries of Iowa.

Can I still use our current delivery service (AEA delivery, Rivershare, etc.) and/or the post office?
The library’s current delivery service and the post office can supplement this service and this system in no way impacts any other contract a library has. (Note: if libraries currently use Rivershare or Mobius this service will overlap, but not intersect, and the lending library will have to make a judgement call as to which courier to use for each transaction.) Libraries would still need to use the post office to send ILLs that need to be received sooner than IA Shares will deliver, or if the requesting library is an academic or special library that is not part of IA Shares. 

Will libraries still be able to charge patrons for ILLs? 
Yes, this should not change any library policies.

Routes and Schedules

How often is the delivery? 
Each public library in Iowa will receive delivery two days per week during a regularly scheduled time frame. All ILL and Open Access item returns to public libraries should be sent via IA Shares. Items sent for ILL may be sent via USPS to public libraries to facilitate quicker delivery, but it is entirely possible that items will get delivered faster through IA Shares, especially within the same hub.

Is the State Library included in this system as part of the route? 
Yes. The State Library will use the system to send materials to libraries, as well as ILLs from the State Library. Other materials sent via the system may include the summer reading program materials, bookmarks, promotional materials, and more. 

How do I know my route and scheduled day and time for delivery?
Routes are posted to the MOBIUS IA Shares website. You may also contact Tom Keyser at Tom.Keyser@iowa.gov or 515-242-6542 to obtain your route and schedule information.

What if a library is not open on the scheduled delivery day?
If Stat Courier has scheduled a library’s regular delivery day and time during non-working or closed hours, libraries have several options to accommodate IA Shares delivery. These may include:

  • Purchasing a lock box to be placed outside of the library and giving the route driver a key. 
  • Giving the route driver a key to the building to access the library outside of normal hours.
  • Making arrangements at a nearby alternate location that is open during the scheduled delivery time, such as City Hall.

Libraries must notify Tom Keyser, State Library IA Shares Liaison, to make arrangements for any of the above options for delivery outside of open hours. If none of the above options work for your library, contact Tom Keyser to explore other options, including the possibility of a different delivery day and/or time, if feasible.

How do holidays affect the delivery? 
For any days of service that fall on a holiday, a make-up day will be not be provided.

Do we miss a delivery if we need to close for bad weather or other reasons? 
If the driver can’t make it to the library, they will contact the library and make every effort to make up that delivery stop within 48 hours, weather permitting. Should a route contain multiple cancelled deliveries, the entire route will be rescheduled at the discretion of Stat Courier. If the library closes due to bad weather or other emergency, the library will need to email the Mobius Helpdesk and the situation will be handled on an individual basis.

How does the library issue a complaint about the driver or the service? 
Email the Mobius Helpdesk to use to issue a complaint or give feedback. If a library has feedback about the overall service, please contact the State Library of Iowa.

Where is the entire delivery system routing? Is it publicly available? 
Yes, the route and schedule information for each library will be posted soon on the MOBIUS IA Shares webpage.

Sending Materials

How should materials be prepared to be sent on delivery?
The State Library will provide and pay for official totes and bags that will be required and exclusively for use with the IA Shares delivery service. Materials to be sent are to be packaged in the provided bags, using one bag for each location. A delivery label will be printed from the MOBIUS Label Maker and inserted into the clear window sleeve on each bags. These labels include a specific code for each library that assists the driver in sorting and routing all materials. The bags are then put into a tote for the driver to pick up. If an item is too large for a bag it may be shipped in a tote. Place in tote, close and put a routing label (from the MOBIUS Label Maker) on the top of the tote and cover with tape. You might want to put tape or a zip tie to close the tote and make it obvious that the entire tote is going to a specific location. Boxes and padded mailing envelopes are not allowed for use and no handwritten labels are to be used. No rubber bands, tape, or staples needed!

What can I send in this service beyond books? 
Any library material that can fit in a tote or bag and falls under the 50-pound weight requirements is fair game for sending via IA Shares! No currency/checks is to be shipped and breakables are not recommended. No food, personal letters, non-library promotional items, propaganda, shelving, furniture, book racks, and no computer software or other electronic devices should be sent via the delivery service. 

Is there a limit to the number of items libraries can send in this service? 
No. Items must be sent in an approved bag or tote, but libraries can send as many of those as needed. One bag will go to one library, so multiple items can be put in one bag as long as they are all going to the same library.

Is there a tracking system? 
At this time there is no tracking system included in the contract.

I'm out of IA Shares bags or totes. How do I request more?
Submit a reqeust using the form below to request more IA Shares bags or totes be sent to your library. The State Library sends them out via IA Shares on Monday and Wednesday mornings. 

IA Shares Request Form

Damaged Items

How are damaged materials handled?

Both the lending and borrowing libraries are responsible for packing materials so that they are protected from damage, and in making sure all parts are included in a multi-part item. If an item is damaged in transit, follow these steps:

  • If the damage appears to have occurred while traveling through the IA Shares delivery system, a claim can be made to MOBIUS.
  • If the library item belongs to the receiving library, the receiving library can make a claim to MOBIUS.
  • If the library item does not belong to the receiving library, the receiving library should notify the owning library and send all the damage documentation to the owning library. The owning library can then make a claim to MOBIUS.

Instructions on how to make a claim to MOBIUS are linked below:

IA Shares Reporting Damaged Items

Should libraries establish a policy related to IA Shares (including fees, using the post office vs. IA Shares, etc)?
IA Shares should be considered as procedural. How might a library's ILL procedures change as a result of this new delivery service, including how might the ILL workflow change? Procedures are something that can be decided by library directors and staff, boards do not need to be involved in procedural discussions. IA Shares is specific and connected to procedures, and should be considered as one aspect of a broader policy on providing interlibrary loan service that library boards have already adopted.

SILO ILL and Other State Library Programs

Will this service replace SILO ILL? 
No, SILO ILL is the service used to request interlibrary loans and will continue. IA Shares will be the delivery service used to move the items requested through SILO to and from public libraries around Iowa.

Will the delivery label be integrated with SILO ILL?
The Mobius label printing program is a separate step that will be required in addition to reporting the ILL in SILO.

What are the implications for the ILL Reimbursement program? 
ILL reimbursement through the Enrich Iowa program will remain unchanged. The State Library does not reimburse postage for ILL reimbursement, as it is a set amount per item loaned. All ILL returns to public libraries should be sent via IA Shares. Public libraries may still need to mail ILLs to requesting academic or special libraries.

What happens with the Open Access program?  
Beginning in FY21, funding that was earmarked for Open Access returns was rolled into the funding used for payments of loaning items to patrons from another participating library. It is strongly recommended that all Open Access returns to public libraries are sent via IA Shares. Returns to academic libraries will still need to be sent via USPS, and a postage receipt will be required for reimbursement.

How do we communicate with other libraries about delivery?  
The State Library encourages discussion about IA Shares on Library Talk. 

IA Shares Delivery Guidelines

The below information is meant to serve as guidelines for how and what materials to send via the IA Shares delivery service for Iowa public libraries. 

Note: At this time, only Iowa public libraries qualify for IA Shares delivery service; materials going to academic, school, or special libraries must be sent via different means.

How to Send Items

Sending items via IA Shares is as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Place materials going to a single library in an official IA Shares bag.
  2. Create delivery slip using the MOBIUS Label Maker; print, trim, and insert slip into the clear window sleeve on each bag.
  3. Place bag in official IA Shares tote to be picked up at your library’s next scheduled delivery.

Do not use cardboard boxes, padded mailing envelopes, or handwritten labels to send materials via IA Shares.

What Items to Send

Any library material that can fit in a tote or bag and is under 50 pounds can be sent to another Iowa public library via IA Shares. 

Oversize items can be sent via IA Shares if it falls under the 50-pound weight limit requirement and fits in an official IA Shares tote. To send an oversize item, place it in an IA Shares tote, close, and affix a delivery slip created with the MOBIUS Label Maker on top of the tote, covering it with clear packing tape. You can tape or zip tie the tote closed to indicate the entire tote is going to a specific location.

Damaged Items

What to do if a library item arrives in damaged condition:

If the damage appears to have occurred while traveling through the IA Shares delivery system, a claim can be made to MOBIUS. The maximum amount to claim for a damaged item is $50.00. Be aware of this risk when sending out expensive, or valuable items through IA Shares.

If the library item belongs to the receiving library, the receiving library can make a claim to MOBIUS.

If the library item does not belong to the receiving library, the receiving library should notify the owning library and send all the damage documentation to the owning library. The owning library can then make a claim to MOBIUS.

Instructions on how to make a claim to MOBIUS are linked below:

IA Shares Reporting Damaged Items

State Library and IA Shares

Distributing Items to All Public Libraries

The State Library has received requests from authors, non-profit organizations, and other entities to handle distributing items to all Iowa public libraries. This costs the State Library money for the significant staff time involved in preparing the items for delivery. It also requires that the State Library has enough IA Shares bags and totes on hand to handle the delivery, which then takes those items out of the regular rotation for a period of time.

Currently, the State Library will only distribute materials to all Iowa public libraries via IA Shares if the materials are from the State Library or a company that the State Library contracts or partners with (such as promotional materials for online resources, Bridges, or other vendors, etc.).

Other State Library Materials

All Iowa Reads Book Kits will also be sent to libraries via IA Shares, either by putting the plastic container of books in an IA Shares tote with a label taped to the top, or by taping an IA Shares label directly to the container of books.

Endorsement certificates will be sent via IA Shares or USPS, depending on amount and size of documents.

Checks and letters from the State Library will continue to be sent via USPS.

Contact Tom Keyser with any questions on the IA Shares Delivery Guidelines.