A technology upgrade will soon enable Waipā library goers to issue books themselves.
Waipā District Council is investing close to $300,000 in an upgrade that will make issuing books in the district faster, and more efficient.
Source: Waipā District Council
“We know our libraries are well-loved and well-used. This investment means we keep up with technology, protect our stock and also free up librarians to focus on other services,” said Sally Sheedy, group manager customer and community services.
The council also expects the upgrade will decrease the number of books lost – currently Waipā loses $5000 worth of books to theft every year.
The change for the Te Awamutu and Cambridge libraries involves switching from electromagnetic (EM) to radio frequency identification technology (RFID).
Each book taken from the library goes through a scanning process. The EM technology has been used in the district since the 1990s and is outdated.
The new RFID system will make the process of taking book much simpler.
The upgrade will also bring self-issue stations to both libraries, allowing patrons to issue, renew, and return their items themselves. A new app will allow customers to borrow items from the libraries using their own devices, if they are compatible.
The libraries started the transition to the new technology in July, and are working on putting RFID tags on collections. The transition is due to be completed by the end of October.
“The project is going well, and we are looking forward to seeing everything fall into place later this year,” Sheedy said.
