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HBCU Digital Library Trust- Guide for Participants: Shipping and Packing

This guide provides an overview and information for HBCU Digital Library Trust project participants.

Inventory, Shipping, and Packing Guide

  • Participant Inventory Template. Use this Google form to begin your inventory. Upon completion, it can be downloaded and emailed to the project team. 

Packing Your Collections

Packing Your Collections

  • Use sturdy boxes that can hold the weight of the items you are shipping- weight should not exceed 30-40 pounds.
  • Double box - place archival box(es) inside sturdy shipping box (See illustration below).
  • Use appropriate sized box; items should fit snugly, no larger than 18x14x12”.
  • Documents, newsletters, and photographs should be placed into folders and archival boxes. Avoid placing loose, unsecured items into shipping boxes, fragile items can go in padded envelopes.
  • Folders should be packed standing up inside box.
  • Books in good condition can be stacked, or packed spine down.  Not on the fore-edge.
  • Media should be in cases/containers and should be packed tightly.
  • Fill excess space with clean white packing paper (unprinted), bubble wrap or cardboard spacers.
    • (Do not use packing peanuts, they disintegrate, hold a static charge, and create dust that can damage audio visual formats in particular)
  • Tape box securely and apply an extra label with your return mailing address – just in case the shipping label falls off.

Labeling Contents

Labeling Contents

  • Complete a shipping manifest using the provided template for each box and place a printed copy in the front or top of each container.
  • Email the spreadsheets manifest to cwiseman@auctr.edu and kbarksdale@auctr.edu.
  • Clearly label each box with the name of your institution (use the 4-digit code) and a number for each shipping box.  For example, RWWL- Box 1 of 10; RWWL- Box 2 of 10, etc.

Shipping Methods

Shipping Methods

  • Shipping costs will be covered by the project.
  • Standard shipping is 2-Day or 3-Day Ground.
  • Ship early in the week --Monday or Tuesday ideally. There is a better chance that your packages will go direct from your facility to ours and lessens the chance they will be sitting in a distribution center somewhere in the country over a weekend.
  • Please notify us when you are shipping and when we might receive your sources, along with a tracking number.
  • Specific instructions and institutional code will be sent via email.
  • Please ship all boxes to the following address:

AUC Robert W. Woodruff Library
Attn: HBCU Trust Digitization Project Manager [Christine Wiseman]      
111 James P. Brawley Drive, SW
Atlanta, GA 30314

404-978-2038

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact HBCU Digital Library Trust Digitization Project Manager at kbarksdale@auctr.edu or at 404-978-2011.

Packing Examples

 

Labeling Examples