Page 196 - DLIS003_LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

Unit 10: Circulation Section

Self Assessment Notes

Fill in the blanks:
13. ……….. is the issue of the books that are presented at the circulation counter to the borrower.
14. Discharging is the work of securing books borrowed and releasing the …………………….

15. Browne Charging system was devised by ……………………….

Case Study Create a More Human Library

Designed for Productivity
The new Darien Library expects circulation to increase by at least 25 percent, but the staff
hours devoted to circulation is expected to drop, thanks to RFID and automated materials
handling technology.
The half-century-old library serving Darien, Connecticut was stretched to the limit.
Designed for 120,000 items, it held over 160,000. (Every time a new book was added, staff
had to discard an old one.) It drew 100 visitors an hour, but had parking space for only
84 vehicles. Staff members were sharing desks and some were working out of closets. Its
trustees were calling for community services that couldn't be provided in the existing
facility.
The only practical solution was to build a new library, so the staff and trustees started
planning and fund-raising. In 2007, construction began on a $27 million facility that is a
model for contemporary libraries-a "great, good place" that will comprise an extensive
collection of books, magazines and electronic media, as well as computers, reading rooms
and a café. And to ensure customer satisfaction and staff productivity, the new Darien
Library will incorporate state-of-the-art RFID and automated materials handling
technologies.
Alan Kirk Gray, the library's assistant director for operations, explained why the new
facility was designed with RFID in mind: "Everything we do is designed to make life
easier for our patrons. We chose RFID for that reason. In some respects, it's a layer of
technology between the staff and the customer, but it feels seamless." That intuitive ease-
of-use stands in contrast to barcode technology, which Gray said is "harder for patrons in
both self-checkout and return."
Gray added that RFID will also provide an important improvement in staff productivity.
"We've invested in upgrades to our current barcode system, trying to improve its efficiency.
At our circulation desk, our librarians have touch screens and 'aggressive' scanners that
don't demand precise alignment. But it hasn't been enough to keep up with the growth in
circulation."
The new library's RFID system, however, will introduce Darien's customers to self-service
checkouts, which should have a significant impact on staff productivity. Gray expects that
95 percent of customers will be using the 3M Self Check Systems after a year of operation,
with that number climbing to 99 percent after another 12 months.
Self-service is expected to increase customer satisfaction and allow staff to be assigned to
higher value activities. "The new building will be twice the size of our current facility,"
Contd...

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