News

Arkansas library deploys kiosk to save money, expand services

August 1, 2014

Rogers, Arkansas' Rogers Public Library may be the first in the state to open a 24-hour checkout kiosk, according to library director Judy Casey in a NorthwestArkanasasonline.com article.

The library recently installed a kiosk with 23 locked boxes for patrons wanting access to materials when the library is closed. Patrons can open a kioskwith swipe of their library cards to retrieve the book, movie, or other library item they ordered from the website.

"The great thing about the kiosk is it's available to the patron 24 hours a day, making it more convenient for our patrons to check out material on their schedule, not the library's schedule," Casey said.

Patrons may also return materials to the kiosk.

Carol Coffey, head of library resources and digital systems for the Central Arkansas Library System, said the kiosks are a way to expand services and save money, as libraries across the nation experience financial hardships. 

"A kiosk is much less expensive to build than a branch library that has to have its own material, staff, building and utilities, which make a kiosk very attractive and a good way to expand library services," Coffey said.