Readers, 

I’m calling my topic this month “when competitive bidding goes wrong.” Mid-February, we received notice from the State Library that they and the Department of Administrative Services and OhioLINK (universities) are giving up on fixing all the problems with our new statewide delivery service. These state agencies are obligated by law and common sense to periodically bid out this huge contract, and this year surprised us all with a new carrier. It turns out that we were correct to be uneasy about that decision. The result, to quote State Library, has been “continued uneven and inconsistent delivery service across the State of Ohio.” Whereas our route in Massillon benefited from the addition of a hub in Akron, some parts of Ohio, particularly the northwest, are still getting spotty deliveries and long wait times. 

As a consequence, the State of Ohio has terminated the new delivery agreement and has announced a return of our previous carrier, Priority Dispatch, on April 18. We are thrilled with the return of a company that has a proven track record in getting library materials (and other materials from state agencies) from one place to another. 

Why am I telling you this, and why now? Because as many of you remember from the last turnover, there will be a transition period when we can’t place items on hold from other libraries. We will have to wait until everything is delivered by the old company before starting up with the new. We are being realistic, and telling you to expect service disruption clear through May. 

Providing access to shared resources across the state is a priority to fulfilling our mission, and remains one of our most-appreciated services by patrons. We hate when you are inconvenienced by decisions made “from above.” We share your dread. But the short-term pain WILL be worth it for long-term service. And next time they bid this out, I hope there are lots of bonus points given for existing providers with proven success. 

I’m looking out my window to see snow covering the ground. Even with Spring teasing us like she always does, there’s still plenty of time to snuggle inside with a book. I’ve just started Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds, an American epic of love, bravery, and hope during the Great Depression. Hannah always does her research, and I know I’ll come away with a greater appreciation for the hard choices people had to make in that terrible time of our history, and those to-the-moment issues of class and poverty. 

Sherie Brown, Director