Delivery Diary: Embodying Adaptability with Jasmine Morris

RAILS delivery is arguably one of the most crucial services provided to member libraries and one of the most recognizable parts of RAILS' services. According to our RAILS: Numbers that Count data, “In 2024, our 46-delivery staff produced a 2813% return on investment by delivering 7.9 million items to our member libraries.”  RAILS delivery service operates five days a week. RAILS has five locations that provide service to the library system: Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Coal Valley, East Peoria, and Rockford. Delivery service is an integral component of RAILS. 

Without our team of delivery staff, delivery service would not be possible. Their hard work and dedication results in satisfied patrons and more accessible collections. Without drivers, sorters, and floaters, delivery would not be possible, and resource sharing throughout Illinois would suffer. To connect our member libraries to those who work every day to provide them with this essential service, we’ve developed our Delivery Diary series. Read on as we get to know more about our delivery staff, and hopefully, our libraries as a whole. We will be interviewing one RAILS driver, sorter, or floater in each blog post to learn more about who member libraries rely on for continued service. 

This week’s featured employee, Jasmine Morris, has been at RAILS for one year this January and works at the Rockford hub. Rockford is the second smallest hub, with 8 staff members, and a service area of over 350 member libraries. 

I spoke with Jasmine about her experience at RAILS, and some of her favorite activities as of late. 

GG: What does a typical day look like for you?

JM: [I] come into work; begin sorting the blue bins, and do a few stops for the other drivers. I also help the drivers sort when they come back from route. I help Bob with tasks around the station and maintain cleanliness of the vans. 

GG: What's your favorite thing you've watched or read recently?  

JM: I watched the new movie Straw by Tyler Perry.  

GG: What's one hobby you've been enjoying lately? 

JM: I love to do diamond painting, but I have been enjoying sticker books, which is where you make a little scene with stickers.  

GG: Windows down or windows up? 

JM: Windows down.  

GG: What is the best interaction you've had while on the job? 

JM: Interactions with the libraries because we help each other out on a daily basis.  

GG: What do you wish librarians knew about delivery?  

JM: We normally have a specific time we get to the library, but sometimes we run behind or get there early, so it would be nice to have keys to all libraries just to help us with timing. 

For more information on delivery, please refer to our RAILS Delivery webpage.

Interviews for the Delivery Diaries series occurred in June 2025. A special thank you to Jasmine Morris and Bob Cummings for their assistance on this post.