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Libraries turning to self-checkout, remote access kiosks

Libraries are busier and having a harder time filling the holes in their budgets, so self-checkout and remote access kiosks can provide efficiencies and improve access for patrons.

January 14, 2010

From California to Arkansas to Ohio to North Carolina, more and more libraries are turning to self-checkout kiosks to better serve their patrons at a time they've never been busier, or been dealing with worse budgetary concerns.

And not only are libraries looking to self-checkout systems, more are looking at emulating the redbox model of DVD rental by rolling out remote access kiosks that allow patrons to check-out books without ever stepping inside the library itself.

"Certainly libraries are looking at technologies that have been effective in the for-profit or the business-consumer environment and seeing how can we adapt them to create efficiencies and improve access," said Sari Feldman, president of the Public Library Association of the American Library Association.

Two factors have likely contributed to the rise in self-checkout counters in libraries and library remote access kiosks, and both stem from the recession. First, as consumers have fewer disposable dollars for entertainment, many have turned to checking out books or movies from their local libraries instead of buying them. Second, as state's economies have stumbled — and continue to stumble — library budgets are easy targets for the chopping block.

Last year 25.4 million Americans reported using their public library more than 20 times, up from 20.3 million in 2006, and the overall number of in-person visits also saw a significant increase in the same period, Feldman said.

Libraries also have become increasingly important to job seekers, who use the library's high-speed Internet connections, Feldman says, creating even more demands on librarians' time.

"It's been a trend in libraries, but as libraries are seeking efficiencies at a time when we've never been busier, it's critical to look at technology tools that really save time and give staff the opportunity to work closely with customers rather than be tied to routine tasks," Feldman said.

And while it's not a completely new phenomenon — the Columbus (Ohio) Public Library went completely self-checkout five years ago, Feldman said — there continues to be significant growth and development in this area, she said.

According to CNNMoney.com, a report out this month from the public policy research arm of the State University of New York shows that state tax collections in the first three quarters of last year saw their biggest drop in nearly 50 years, and the Pew Center on the States says state and local governments have lopped off more than 130,000 jobs since August of 2008.

Three states face budget shortfalls above 40 percent of their projected general fund spending; four more face gaps of 30 percent or more; and a dozen more are looking at budget deficits between 20 and 29 percent for FY 2010, according to the center.

All of which means that the cutting may not be finished, and there could well be more cuts on the way.

"Libraries across the country are struggling to maintain their hours of operation, to maintain their staff, to deliver services that people really need," Feldman said. "So a capital investment for a self-checkout unit or a kiosk unit, which is a onetime investment that can deliver some long-term efficiencies, makes good business sense."

And because libraries are so concerned with access for their patrons, the redbox-type of rental kiosk is an increasingly emerging area of development, Feldman says, citing the Sacramento, Calif., public library system as an early adopter of self-contained units that are completely separate from the brick-and-mortar library.

"Many public libraries also are looking at cost cutting in terms of reducing hours or closing on less-than-peak days, so how do we continue to provide access to our customers?" she asked.

And the trend of self-checkout should only continue to spread in libraries, says kiosk industry analyst Francie Mendelsohn, president of Summit Research Associates Inc.