Iam pleased to announce

that NicoleBarnett hasbeen promotedto ChiefOperatingOfficer atUniqueManagement.She is a lifelongresident ofJeffersonville, Indiana and graduated fromIndiana University Southeast with aBachelors Degree in Business in 1997.

Nicole has managed operations atUnique for the last four years and has abroad understanding and knowledge ofour company and customers. In otherwords, she has been overseeing our opera-tions for years and will see to it that you,our customers, continue to receive excep-tional service. If you have not met orspoken to Nicole yet, I guarantee you will like her when you do.

Nicole has been chairing our manage-ment team for quite some time and willcontinue to provide leadership to nurtureour customer-focused culture at Unique.This change will allow Charlie Gary andme to focus our energies on looking forways to enhance what we are doing nowand possibly offer additional related ser-vices to libraries.

Unique Management Services, Inc.employs 53 people in Jeffersonville,Indiana and currently provides materialrecovery services to over 500 libraries inNorth America. As many of you know,Unique specializes in gently nudgingpatrons to return overdue materials so thatgoodwill can be maintained throughoutthe process. This helps put materials backinto circulation quickly to better meet theneeds of communities and preserve valu-able assets and budget dollars.

Volume 5, Issue 3 Winter 2002Library Specialists

MATERIAL MATTERSU N I Q U E M A N A G E M E N T S E R V I C E S , I N C .

Message fromthe PresidentLyle J. Stucki

“Budget Neutral”“Revenue Producing”“Positive Return on Investment”

These are some familiar phrases that make accountants smile, or at least grin. Inbusiness, they are an indication that things are going well.

With library budgets across the country being tightened like a noose, many librariesare scrambling to make sure they stay “in the black.” Drastic measures such as closingbranches, limiting hours, and laying off staff are common reactions to this problem.

Pardon the pun, but here at Unique Management we are “uniquely” positioned tonot only help in the recovery of valuable material but also, in many cases, help generaterevenue for the library. When budgets are tight, it obviously becomes even more impor-tant to hold onto materials and keep them circulating to preserve precious assets andbudget dollars. Generating additional revenue at the same time is an added plus.

This article is the first installment of many that will show benefits our service canprovide to libraries when used to its full potential.

Here are the facts:• The average UMS client brings in $4 to $7 for every $1 spent.• The average recovery rate for UMS clients is 65% to 70% of patrons processed. • Most UMS clients are eligible for our budget neutrality guarantee (to recover at

least enough money to cover our fees—in addition to the materials recovered).• Only about 1% of a library’s patrons will ever be turned over to UMS.• UMS saves library staff time through automation.• UMS maintains patron goodwill as a top priority.

Here are the quotes:

“[using Unique Management Services] is an issue of financial responsibility and account-ability. We owe it to our taxpayers to make the best use of the money entrusted to us. It isespecially important now during the current budget freeze. The majority of library patronsreturn their materials on time, but the number of missing materials that results from thosewho do not return them as agreed creates a costly problem for the library and for otherpatrons. We are viewing this [using Unique Management] as a very positive step andbelieve that it will benefit all of our patrons.”

- Beverly Cain, Director, Portsmouth Public Library (OH)

“We continue to be impressed with the results. Lowering the limit to $25.00 has had a greatimpact on our return with very little negative public reaction. We appreciate Unique mak-ing this suggestion [to lower the minimum balance that patron accounts are sent to UMS to$25.00.”

- Denise Siers, Associate Director, King County Library System (WA)

We would be happy to talk to you. Please contact any member of our sales or customer service departments for more information.

IN THE BLACKBert LumettaCustomer Service Specialist

HAPPY HOLIDAYSFROM ALL OF US AT UNIQUE MANAGEMENT SERVICES!

MATERIAL MATTERSPage 2 MATERIAL MATTERSPage 2Page 2 MATERIAL MATTERS

Patron DisputesKenes BowlingDirector of Customer Service

In the course of encour-aging patrons to

return long over-due materials,we occasion-ally hearfrom themthat oureffort is inerror—thatthey havealreadyreturned materi-als or that someoneelse checked them out,or, even, that the patron hasnever been in the library. Although disputes are infrequent, pro-cedures must be in place to respond to them judiciously andwith the patron’s best interest in mind.

As we know, patrons’ disputes are sometimes valid andsometimes not. However, we always proceed as if the dispute isvalid, respecting the patrons’ assertion of innocence.

Our procedures for responding to disputes closely follow theguidelines of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).This is the federal law that protects the rights of debtors fromuntoward practices by third party collectors. It is a good, com-mon sense law that permits an effective process for working withdebtors while protecting their dignity, privacy, and right to dueprocess.

The part of the FDCPA that deals with disputes begins withthe premise that a person has a right to be informed about theorigin of his/her debt as well as a right to challenge the debt ifhe/she believes it to be in error. So, when a third party (UMS)notifies a debtor (patron) on behalf of an original creditor (thelibrary), the law provides for a 30 day period in which the patronmay dispute the debt, in writing, if he/she believes our claim tobe invalid. We inform the patron of that right in each of our

written communications. If the patron phones our office to dis-pute the debt, we instruct them to issue the dispute in writing.Having it in writing provides documentation for all parties, pro-tects patron privacy, and complies with FDCPA stipulations.

PROCEDURE1. When the patron responds to one of our contacts by

disputing the debt in writing, we suspend further collectionattempts until we can “validate” the debt, by securing fromthe library, written proof that the debt is valid.

2. To obtain validation, we fax a Validation Request form toour contact person at the library. Validation can be in theform of a screen print from the patron’s record or otherwritten form that the library uses to record the patron’sobligation.

3. Upon receipt of validation from the library, we forward thatinformation to the patron and encourage the patron to con-tact the library to resolve the debt. The patron’s account isthen re-activated.

4. It is important to note that our ability to continue to pursuethe patron’s account depends on our receiving timely valida-tion from the library. If not received, within 30 days, we arerequired to close the account on the assumption that thepatron’s dispute is valid.

5. When the patron disputes the debt directly with the library,library staff can proceed to resolve it, whenever possible.You are not required to notify UMS, unless you want us tosuspend the account while you investigate the patron’sclaim. Otherwise, changes to the patron’s account shouldcome to UMS via the library’s usual update procedure.

The most important consideration is to treat the patron withrespect and with the presumption that the dispute is valid. As weall know, mistakes occur on occasion. Our practice is to proceeddiligently and quickly to resolve disputes in a manner that pro-tects the dignity of the patron, regardless of the outcome of thedispute.

“ So, when a third party (UMS) notifies a debtor

(patron) on behalf of an original creditor (the library), the law provides

for a 30 day period in which the patron may dispute the debt, in writing, if he/she believes our

claim to be invalid. ”

Online “Live” Tutors Help with HomeworkDrew MorganCustomer Service Specialist

From time to time we here at Unique Management like tofeature a library website that has an application that we find

interesting or innovative. This month’s feature is theMontgomery County Public Library’s online homework helpforum. Many school age children use the library for help withhomework, now in Maryland they can get help with out everleaving the house.

The Montgomery County Public Library located inRockville, Maryland, offers online help with homework for stu-dents in grades 4-12 every weekday from 2pm until midnight.Live tutors are available to help in english, math, science, andsocial studies. Students must have the Macromedia's ShockwavePlayer in order to connect to this service. Shockwave can bedownloaded for free from Macromedia’s website.

When students log in they simply enter their zip code, onlyresidents of Maryland can use the homework help site, whatgrade they are in and the subject with which they would likehelp. Each session lasts twenty minutes. The site has a few simple

rules to help students get the most from each session. Studentsare encouraged to bring a question to their Homework Helpsession and get ready to learn!

Guidelines For Students:

• Tutors will help you with your questions but they won't simplygive you the answers.

• Respect your tutor as you would your teacher.

• Do not use inappropriate language orshare inappropriate materials in theclassroom.

This is another great example of how libraries serve patrons.

To check out the site visitwww.mont.lib.md.us.

GOTHOMEWORK?Get LIVE helpfrom online

tutors!

MATERIAL MATTERS Page 3MATERIAL MATTERS Page 3

We hope you enjoy

MATERIAL MATTERS

A newsletter designedand produced for library

professionals.

If you have comments or sug-gestions please don’t hesitate to

call us at (800) 879-5453.

Or send e-mail to:nicole@unique-mgmt.com

Keep Your “Sync” CleanWill GrapperhausCustomer Service Technician

It is annoying, and it has happened toall of us. More than likely, you too

have had at least one experience where abusiness or financial institution said youowed amount x, but you were sure yousent them payment y, yet suddenly theyadded fee z!

By my calculation, x – y + z = purefrustration.

Whether it is a credit card statement,a checking account balance, a car pay-ment—even a book fine—we want ourrecords to be kept accurate by the estab-lishments with which we transact. In ourever-changing high-tech world, we arefully aware that our money spends lesstime exchanging human hands and moretime surging in and out of massive com-puter systems. In fact, for many of us, theentire financial process has taken on animpersonal nature. We are often reducedto an anonymous number and tossedabout in a sea of data. Though the sce-nario occurs infrequently for most of us,when we are not given credit for ourtimely payments, we feel frustrated andrightfully so.

From that perspective, here atUnique Management, we are keenlyaware of the sensitivity and care requiredto handle patron’s accounts that havebeen submitted to us for collection. Overtime, and for a variety of reasons, patronbalance changes are not always reportedto UMS (see inset). Typically, this affectsless than one percent of the total number

of current client accounts. Even thoughthis is a fairly rare occurrence, to ensurethat we do not contact any patrons usinginaccurate data, we regularly synchronizeour database with our client’s patrondatabases using a library-generated “sync”file. As a tool, the sync process has practi-cal, preventative, and even diagnosticbenefits for your library.

So what is a sync file, exactly? A syncfile is a report that lists the current totalbalances of all your patrons currentlyflagged for collection. Your weekly collec-tion report notifies us of any patronbalance changes that occurred during thepast week, but the sync report is a com-plete “master list” of all your accounts,regardless of their activity. Virtually all cir-culation systems can provide us this kindof report, and when run regularly, thesync file enables us to find patron balancediscrepancies and correct them in our sys-tem. It is important to remember thatunlike your system software vendor, wecannot access your system directly to cre-ate this report. It must be generated atthe library and sent via email or FTP tous, thus, library staff assistance is vital tothe success of this process.

This process is conducted yearly,semi-annually, quarterly, or on-demand,depending on the need and size of thelibrary. There are four main steps in thesynchronization process. First, the librarygenerates the sync file as soon as possibleafter the weekly collection reports have

been generated (to limit any patron activ-ity between the reports). After we processyour regular collection reports, yourCustomer Service Technician will run thecomplete list of patron balances againstour entire database and create discrepancyreports. Before reconciling the discrepan-cies in UMS’ database, we will call you tolook at a few patron records in your sys-tem to verify the accuracy of the reports.Once verified, the discrepancies are rec-onciled in UMS’ system, ensuring that allcontact with your patrons will be com-pletely accurate.

It is important to remember that anyreport generated at the library for UMS,whether it be a regular new account submission report or a quarterly synchro-nization file, is extremely time-sensitive.If at all possible, the entire synchroniza-tion process should be completed thesame day. This is for the patrons’ benefitas well as the libraries’. We will never rec-oncile patron accounts based on the syncresults until those results have been con-firmed with a library staff person, and ifwe are unable to reach anyone at thelibrary, we will cancel the sync andreschedule it for a later date. Accurateand timely processing of these reportspromotes patron goodwill.

The sync process has other benefitsas well. In addition to simply findingpatron balance inaccuracies, the discrep-

(continued on page 4)

o Please make corrections to my name and/or address information as shown below.

o Please add the person listed below to your mailing list for this newsletter.

o Please send the person below more information about your material-recovery service.

Name:

Title:

Library:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Page 4 MATERIAL MATTERS

ancy reports can also give us clues that may help us find possible limitations or inefficien-cies in your collection module or circulation software—similar to a diagnostic test. Westudy the discrepancies closely for any possible patterns that might indicate a recurringproblem. Because of the sync process, we have already helped several vendors improvetheir collection and circulation software products. Yet, even if our process is workingperfectly for you, it is good to know that we are always striving to provide you with thehighest level of quality assurance.

Although it may seem like a tedious process, our libraries often comment on howeasy and “painless” the sync process is. And they appreciate that we care enough tofind those one or two patrons whose balances are incorrect. It is this attention todetail that gives our clients peace-of-mind.

With your assistance—by scheduling regular synchronizations and making your-self available to verify patron balance discrepancies—we can greatly reduce theinstances of patron frustration over a misstated balance and make sure the UniqueProcess keeps working for you as smoothly and as effectively as possible.

Keep Your “Sync” Clean(continued from page 3)

1. Patron fine history or transactionhistory is not saved to the patronrecord.

2. Issuing patron a new card beforethey clear their balance.

3. Patron account deleted entirelywithout notifying UMS.

4. Weekly or daily report not createdsuccessfully.

5. Patron’s collection flag or blockdeleted from their record prior toclearing their balance.

The SYNC Process• Library generates sync file after weekly reports are sent.• UMS processes the weekly files, then the sync.• Library verifies the validity of the discrepancies in a timely manner.• UMS reconciles discrepancies in their database.

One of the cornerstones of UMS’service to libraries is that it is

straightforward and easy to use. An important element in keeping

the process smooth is the circulationstaff’s ability to answer patron questionsquickly and accurately on the phone orat the front desk. Being able to confi-dently discuss our service with patronsenables staff to more efficiently helppatrons clear their accounts and returnto the library in good standing.

For example, circ desk staff shouldbe able to address:

1) The library’s rationale for using amaterial recovery service,

2) what our letters and phone calls topatrons actually say,

3) how to handle patron disputes, 4) when to contact customer service

staff at UMS,5) how credit reporting works

and how easy it is for patrons toresolve it,

6) a clear understanding of how ourservice improves the library’s circu-lation and customer service, and

7) the financial benefit our service pro-vides to the library and its patrons.

It is important that staff who inter-act with patrons remain current with theUMS process. As staff turnover occursor people change positions, it is wise toensure that new staff be oriented to thematerial recovery process. This can bequite challenging when staff are distrib-uted among a large number of branches.In the midst of so many other activitiesand priorities, the importance of trainingstaff in the material recovery process canbe overlooked

UMS has an easy-to-use tool availableto our customers to help with staff train-ing – a 26 minute video presentation, inVHS or CD-ROM format, that explainsthe Unique Process in detail. It provides acomprehensive review of our process andphilosophy in working with your patronsto recover long overdue materials. Copiesof our staff training document and infor-mation packets for future reference alsoaccompany the video.

Roger Downward of PrinceGeorge's County Memorial Library

Training DayKenes BowlingDirector of Customer Service

(continued on page 5)

Top Five Causes of a

Dirty SYNC!!!

MATERIAL MATTERS Page 5

When to Expunge from Credit ReportsShannon M. DaleyProduction Manager

Training Day(continued from page 4)

Please take a few moments to ponderthe scenarios below and consider if you

should ask Unique to expunge theaccount, i.e., remove it from the creditreport.

1. A patron is highly upset that thelibrary has shown up on his creditreport. He came into thelibrary to pay theaccount.However, hebegins insistingthat the accountbe taken off thecredit report since he ispaying it and was not aware of ituntil he pulled his credit report.

2. A person comes into the librarywith her credit report stating she does nothave an account with the library. Uponinvestigation, you find the person has asimilar name to a patron who has been sentto Unique, but a different address, date ofbirth and/or social security number.

3. A patron comes into the libraryclaiming that the materials reflected on hiscredit report were returned months ago.Upon further investigation, it is found thatthe books indeed were returned before thepatron was turned over to the creditbureaus.

I would venture to say we all haveheard at least one of the above stories froma patron. I will start by saying mostaccounts should never be expunged.Accounts should only be expunged whenthe account was attached to a credit reportin error. Generally, errors would be of twotypes: account attached to the incorrectperson at the credit bureaus or accountsent to the credit bureaus in error

(it should never have been sent to Unique,or it was paid in full before it was creditreported).

In the scenarios above, only the sec-ond two are legitimate expunges. In thescenario of the mistaken identity at thecredit bureaus (#2), you can request that

Unique expunge it from thewrong person and

apply the accountto the correct per-son. Keep in mindthis is most effec-

tive if Unique issupplied with name,

address, date of birth, and socialsecurity number of both parties, the moreinformation the quicker the process. In thescenario of the patron account being paidbefore it was credit reported (#3), simplylet Unique know it should have a zero bal-ance, the date it was settled, and to removethe account from the credit bureaus.

As for the first scenario, every patronwants the account removed from the creditreport once it is paid. However, that is simply not how credit reporting works.You can assure the patron that the accountwill reflect a paid collection status, but willremain on their credit report with that sta-tus for up to seven years from theirdelinquency/service date.

In short, expunges are the exception,not the rule. If it were simple to have legit-imate accounts removed from a creditreport, then potential credit reportingwould not be an incentive for patrons totake care of their accounts in a timely man-ner to prevent items from appearing ontheir records.

“ Accounts should only be expunged when the account

was attached to a credit report in error. ”

System in Hyattsville, MD said:“The training video was a tremen-

dous asset in explaining the UniqueCollections Process, it made the wholething understandable and answeredmost questions before they were asked.”

Since it is not lengthy, a number ofour customers have used it with goodeffect for new staff orientation and inrefresher training for existing staff aswell or introducing our service for newcustomers.

Ms. Joyce Baumbach of PlanoPublic Library System in Plano, TX said:

“The UMS video is a good trainingtool for new clerks.”

In addition to the training video,our customer service team is alwaysavailable for teleconferencing. We canuse a train-the-trainer approach or be“present” in larger, full-staff meetings.Individual training packets, mailed priorto the training session, also accompanythe telephone, or teleconferencingapproach.

The best news is that the trainingoptions are highly effective—the secondbest news is that they are free!! Ourcommitment to our customers is to helprecover materials and fines and restorepatrons to good standing efficiently, costeffectively and in a patron friendly man-ner. Helping your staff fully understandis part of that commitment.

Please call or e-mail your UMSCustomer Service Specialist if you would like a training video, CD or tele-conference to help with training. Weappreciate the opportunity to serve ourcustomers. We will help to keep, in anyway, the material recovery processsmooth and “front desk” friendly.

The Importance of References Jonathan Hayes & Dick Neal

We would like to take this opportu-nity to thank the various libraries

across the US and Canada for usingour material recovery service. Weappreciate you allowing us the oppor-tunity to serve your libraries andcommunities.

As we explain the Unique processto potential clients, many becomeinterested in contacting libraries alreadyusing the service. In most cases we areable to provide references similar insize and software, and in close proximity.

There are many items that can be dis-cussed between current clients andprospects. Common conversation top-ics include: ability to maintain patrongoodwill, ability to interface electronical-ly, and recovery rates.

We actually encourage these con-versations between libraries. Althoughwe can explain features and benefits,answers to questions take on a specialmeaning when they come from libraryprofessionals like you. Many librarieshave similar objectives allowing conver-

sations to be that much more mean-ingful.

Our challenge to public librariesthat may be thinking of utilizing amaterial recovery service is to callUnique Management for a short pre-sentation. We can provide an overviewof the service and put you in contactwith a list of library professionals inyour area who can explain what theirexperiences have been.

Page 6 MATERIAL MATTERSUnique Management Services, Inc.119 E. Maple St.Jeffersonville, IN 47130

EXCUSES, EXCUSES…CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

As most of you already know, UMS held an excuse contest among our clients. Below are just a few of the entries. Other entries arelisted on our website at www.unique-mgmt.com. While the libraries were compiling their favorite excuses, our contact specialist trackedtheir favorite excuses heard when they contact patrons. The top excuses heard by our contact specialist and clients are listed.

Top 5 Excuses Heard By Our Contact SpecialistExcuse #1: “We left the books outside, and they got wet. We put them in the dryer, but they were destroyed.”

Excuse #2: “I can't take my books back yet, because the key to who is responsible for September 11th is in my books. If I take themback the people that did it will come and get them and then no one would believe me.”

Excuse #3: “I just had a bed sore the size of a dinner plate removed from my backside and can't drive yet.”

Excuse #4: A guy laughed when I told him about his debt, he asked for the number, and I asked if he had a pen. He said, “Wouldn'thelp, I'm blind.” He didn't dispute the debt verbally, but what a dispute for a book it would be.

Excuse #5: Patron said she let an 89 year old zillionaire, who looks like he just stepped out of a garbage can, borrow her card. Shecalled him the other day to let him know he hasn't returned the materials. He told her that he has misplaced them. The patron thensaid, “How could I expect him to find the materials when he can't even find his own teeth!”

Top 3 Excuses Heard By Our ClientsExcuse #1 “I'd like to return those books, but I can't. They are just the right height to replace the missing leg on my couch!”

Submitted by Ms. Tamara Filbert - Cedar Rapids Public Library, IA

Excuse #2 “I thought I had heard everything till one day a young man told me that his dog hadn't eaten his book, but that his littlesister had! What was even more amazing, it was a copy of the World Almanac. She must have been very hungry!”

Submitted by Ms. Jo Anne Day - Lane Public Library, OH

Excuse #3 “I am sorry I can't return my books because my car has been hijacked with the books in the back seat. The police havefound the car with the books in it, but it has been impounded for evidence. They say I can't get the books until after the trial.”

Submitted by Ms. Macie Martin - Johnson County Library, KS