Customer Book Return Service by Private Transportation

Abstract

The Thammasat University (TU) Library experimented with a service to return books by private transportation at a time of online learning during the Novel Coronavirus 2019(COVID-19) pandemic. The goal was to facilitate book returns by service users and reduce related service costs associated with returning library books. The TU Library chose SPEED-D parcel delivery service, offering book returns at over 13,000 7-Eleven branch stores. In this way, library users were not obliged to travel far from home. Service fees were less expensive than for other comparable private transportation systems, resolving challenges for library operators by providing a fixed pickup point in the library vicinity. Results of a trial were that 117 users returned 618 books, with an overall service satisfaction rating of 90.20%.