Mail and Transportation Services

Library Mail and Transportation Services transports materials, such as letters, packages, and books between Library locations and manages incoming and outgoing mail.

Library Mail Services 

Library Mail Services provides Library departments and personnel with systematic, efficient, and timely processing of official University mail. This includes selecting mail services and vendors that provide the most cost-effective measures of mail delivery, offer the most expedient processing and delivery of incoming mail, and have the ability to track outgoing mail as necessary. This unit receives approximately 2,000,000 pieces of mail and processes 20,000 outgoing pieces each year.

Domestic Mail

There are several options available for mailing Library materials to destinations within the United States.

First Class Mail

Any mailable material can be sent using First-Class Mail. This service can be used for personal correspondence, handwritten or typewritten letters, and bills or statements of account. The weight limit for First-Class Mail is 13 ounces. For heavier items, use Priority Mail.

Priority Mail

Priority Mail provides a 2-3 day service standard for domestic mail weighing up to 70 lbs. It is not a guaranteed service and it is not trackable, but delivery confirmation service is available. Packages over 1 pound are priced by zone. All First Class mail exceeding 13 oz. will become Priority Mail.

International Mail

There are a number of options available for shipping items outside of the United States. Costs and service times vary widely based on the recipient country's postal system. For this reason it is difficult to estimate how long a letter or package will take to reach a certain destination. Typically, the Library sends international packages via the USPS. We have found that there are fewer issues or delays due to customs requirements.

Because the Mail Services staff must complete necessary export documents, please attach a note to the outgoing package with the following information:

• Sender’s name and phone number
• Recipient’s first and last name
• Business name and phone number
• Complete address in English
• Description of contents including quantity and value of items (i.e. 4 books for gifts with no commercial value)

Intralibrary Mail

Intralibrary Mail moves materials such as books and interoffice correspondence between Library units. Manila interoffice envelopes should be used for Library and Campus departmental mail only.

Preparing and Addressing Interoffice Mail

When using interoffice envelopes to send mail from one library department to another, the department or individual name and room number should be included in the address. Improper addressing of mail will cause missorting and delivery delay. Abbreviations of departments are acceptable when accompanied by a room number. Abbreviations of names are acceptable when accompanied by a department and room number. All mail being sent to a subject specialty library or an affiliated library must have the library’s name, not just the room number within the particular building.

Examples of addresses (correct/incorrect)

Routing Slips

The Library routing slip offers a more efficient means for routing mail between subject specialty libraries, affiliated libraries, and Library departments. Please include all pertinent delivery and routing information as indicated on the slip.

Campus Mailing Services

For the most efficient delivery of mail between campus locations, the university utilizes certain procedures.

Preparing Campus Mail

Intracampus mail for UC Berkeley campus destinations should be placed in a yellow campus mail envelope. These envelopes offer Campus Mail Services the highest level of processing efficiency and we strongly encourage their use. Mail in these envelopes is given top priority in the delivery process. 100% of mail in intra-campus envelopes is delivered the following business day.

The campus mail envelope includes the following address components:

• Mail Code (required information)
• Department Name (required information)
• Addressee Name (optional but recommended)
• Department Address (optional but recommended)

The more complete the information, the greater the guarantee that your mail will be successfully delivered. If one of the required address fields is missing, your mail may be delayed.

Mail Codes

With the objective of reducing sorting errors and maximizing mailing efficiency, Campus Mail Services has a long-term goal to sort as much mail as possible using ZIP+4 mail codes. This method ensures the speed and accuracy of daily mail processing. However, there are several off-campus buildings that do not this type of mail code because they house UC departments and private businesses. When addressing mail for off-campus departments, please make sure you are using the correct mail code.

Quality campus mail service is dependent on applying the correct mail code. Using incorrect mail codes, even if the rest of the address is accurate, may result in a failed delivery. The piece of mail could be sent back to Campus Mail Services and rerouted, adding at least two extra days to the delivery process.

ZIP+4

The ZIP+4 mail code system was introduced by the Campus Mailing Division as a way to sort mail faster and more accurately through machine processing. The campus mail envelopes were designed specifically for machine processing of intracampus mail. The ZIP+4 Mail Codes are listed in the Campus Directory.

Personal Mail

University policy (BUS-65) states that the campus mail system is reserved exclusively for University business. Faculty and staff are not permitted to receive any personal incoming mail at work, nor may the intercampus or intracampus mail system be used for anything other than University business.

Purchasing Postage

BUS 65 allows departments to purchase and use postage only for exceptional or urgent mailing needs. All other mailing needs should be handled through the Library’s Mailroom.

If you need to purchase stamps, please submit your order through Campus Mail Services, not the U.S. Postal Service. If Campus Mail Services is unable to meet your needs, alternatives may be utilized after receiving prior approval.

Campus Pickup and Delivery
Campus Mail Services provides delivery and pickup service to the Library once a day, Monday through Friday between 9:00 am - 9:30 am. Mailing Services requires that all mail be properly addressed with the individual recipient or campus department, room number, building, and +4 mail code (if using color-coded, canary yellow envelopes). The Mailing Division will only handle interoffice letter envelopes, postcards, and campus informational items on its regular mail routes.

Transportation Services 

Transportation Services moves Library materials safely and securely between Doe, Moffitt, subject specialty libraries, affiliated libraries and Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF). Transportation Services retrieves paged books requested through the Online Paging system, delivers book trucks from NRLF for new storage, and retrieves trucks as scheduled. Transportation Services also handles minor furniture repair, simple office moves, ergonomic adjustments, and collecting items for Excess and Salvage.

Equipment, supplies, and facilities are provided exclusively for official University use only; use by non-University organizations must have prior authorization by the Chancellor or his/her designee. Use by organizations or individuals for political, secretarial, commercial, or other special purposes is prohibited, unless in compliance with existing campus regulations.

Library Mail and Transportation Services' hours of operation are 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding University holidays.