This mailing requires special sorting and handling, but it is also the most economical way to send a bulk mailing. If you have a small (minimum 200) bulk mailing, and you plan to prepare it in your department, contact Mail Services for instruction on sorting and the proper wording for the indicia. Most departments choose to use an outside mailing service for this type of mail because of the sorting requirements. Mail Services can recommend someone if you would like. If you do not use an outside service, you will need to pay up-front for postage. The money is on deposit at the Post Office and we will bill you after the mailing is dropped. We only ask that you contact us to let us know who is doing your mailing and approximately when it will be mailed.
Standard Mail B (Parcel Post)
Standard Mail B, or Parcel Post, weighs one pound or more and is not mailed (or required to be mailed) as First Class Mail.
There are several sub-categories of Standard Mail B that offer reduced rates for material that meets the necessary qualifications:
Books (including books issued to supplement other books) of at least eight printed pages consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations, containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books
16mm (or narrower) width films and catalogs of such films of 24 pages or more
Printed music whether in bound form or sheet form
Sound recordings
Advertising, promotional, directory, editorial material, or any combination of these
Securely bound by permanent fastenings such as staples, spiral binding, perfect binding, etc.
Sheets of which at least 90% are imprinted by any process other than handwriting or typewriting with letter, characters, figures or images, or any combination of these
Only the following items may be mailed at the Library Rate when loaned or exchanged between schools, colleges, universities, public libraries, and museums:
Books
Bound volumes of academic thesis
Periodicals
Printed music
Sound recordings
Call Evanston Mail Services at (847) 491-7227 or Chicago Mail Services at (312) 503-8131 if you need more information on these sub-categories.
Business Reply Mail
Business Reply Mail is a card or envelope that is sent out with mail to solicit a response from the recipient; the department must pay the postage. The service enables senders to receive First Class Mail by paying postage on the mail that is returned. The permit holder guarantees payment of the appropriate First Class Postage, plus a per-piece handling charge. Business Reply Mail cannot be sent to any foreign country.
The department pays only for the cards or envelopes returned
The cost is regular First Class postage, plus a per-piece surcharge
There is a per-piece discount for all cards and 1-ounce letters that contain the correct ZIP + 4 mail code (60201-xxxx) and a bar code. Printing Services, in cooperation with Mail Services, will automatically put the correct ZIP + 4 mail code (60201-xxxx) and bar code on all Business Reply Mail cards and envelopes they print. If a department is working with an outside vendor, they should contact Mail Services for the correct ZIP + 4 mail code (60201-xxxx) and bar code for their department.
Please note that the ZIP code 60201, not 60208, should be used for all Evanston Business Reply Mail; 60601 is to be used for Chicago Business Reply
The Postal Service has strict preparation requirements for Business Reply Mail. Contact Evanston Mail Services at (847) 491-7227 or Chicago Mail Services at (312) 503-8131 for the proper format before printing (or reprinting) Business Reply envelopes or cards.
In some instances, Meter Reply Mail is more cost-efficient than Business Reply Mail. If you are expecting a very high return, you may spend less by pre-paying postage on all envelopes, rather than paying postage and a surcharge on the pieces that are returned. For more information, contact Evanston Mail Services at (847) 491-7227 or Chicago Mail Services at (312) 503-8131.