News

Ohio library deploys book-lending kiosk

Worthington Libraries in Ohio has deployed a book-lending kiosk for members of the community.

February 17, 2016

Worthington Libraries in Ohio has deployed a book-lending kiosk for members of the community. Library cardholders can use the kiosk at the Worthington Community Center to rent books, according to areport by The Columbus Dispatch.

In order to use the kiosk, users simply need to swipe their library card and select a book, just like a regular vending machine. Worthington Libraries Director Chuck Gibson believes this kiosk will create, "more points of contact out in the community ... to take our services to where the people are."

The kiosk cost almost $31,000 and is connected to the library's systems through a wired connection. Currently, users cannot return items or pay fines with the kiosks. In addition, the library has no plans to deploy kiosks to urban areas, since those areas have smaller "express" branches.