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What have they done to my local library!!!

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  • What have they done to my local library!!!

    Hadn't been back in a few months and I walked in yesterday ... only to become completely discombobulated as soon as I walked through the door. The checkout desk was ... gone. In its place was a carpeted reading area with chairs and small tables.

    There are two small desks just beyond that. I went to ask the guy at one of them where you check out books now.

    He pointed to two machines.

    Yep, it's "self-service" all the way now.

    Part of going to the library was occasionally getting good suggestions from one librarian or other in relation to the books you were checking out -- or just commenting on the weather.

    That's all gone.

    I could see having self-service as an option to the traditional checkout desk, but ... replacing it completely?!

    I only hope to God nobody lost their jobs.

  • #2
    How are they stopping people from just walking out with books and not officially checking them out?

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    • #3
      Quoth strawbabies View Post
      How are they stopping people from just walking out with books and not officially checking them out?
      My university was primarily self checkout. The sensors/bar codes set off the detectors at the exits.

      I'd be pretty sad if my local library went all SCO

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      • #4
        This...makes me sad..
        I don't go in for ancient wisdom
        I don't believe just 'cause ideas are tenacious
        It means that they're worthy - Tim Minchin, "White Wine in the Sun"

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        • #5
          it's interesting that they are moving your library to only self check out when the library I go to has been ripping out their self check out machines.
          If you wish to find meaning, listen to the music not the song

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          • #6
            I am a librarian in a public library in a small town.
            When I started a year and a half ago, they were still using paper cards in the back of the books to check stuff out. When we merged into the county library last summer, they barcoded the books and switched us to computers.
            I would LOVE it if we switched to RFID technology and self-check out.

            I want one of these babies- http://www.rfid-library.com/en/shelf-management.html

            It would make my job much easier. Co-worker 2 keeps forgetting to check books in before they shelve them, resulting in overdue fines and pissed off patrons. 2 also shelves books in the wrong place- adult biographies in the children's easy fiction for example. It takes 2 forever to check someone's books out because they keep hitting the buttons on the keyboard accidently or scanning the book's UPC code instead of the barcode.

            We only have one computer to check books in & out, register patrons, handle fines, put books on hold, and do everything else. Several days there is a line of six or seven patrons waiting to check out behind a family registering to get library cards. They wouldn't have to wait if we had a self-check out station available.

            I go to the library in the next county over because they get books that my library doesn't. They switched to self-check out stations. I love being able to check out an armload of books in thirty seconds. The librarians are still there if I need anything, but I prefer to get book recs online or browsing the shelves.

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            • #7
              My library has regular checkout and self checkout. I love having the self checkout Lately I have been doing electronic books so I don't even have to go to the library anymore ...that's kinda weird.
              https://www.youtube.com/user/HedgeTV
              Great YouTube channel check it out!

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              • #8
                Quoth strawbabies View Post
                How are they stopping people from just walking out with books and not officially checking them out?
                Not sure, but to be honest, I'm not sure that couldn't have happened even with the former checkout desk as well ... don't most books have electronic "tags" in them these days?

                Quoth smileyeagle1021 View Post
                it's interesting that they are moving your library to only self check out when the library I go to has been ripping out their self check out machines.
                Hmmm ... that is interesting. What made them change their minds?

                AriGriffin, thanks for providing the other viewpoint. I would just like it if I had an option. Also, I'm not sure that people haven't lost their jobs because of this. (Have to admit I'm nostalgic for the old paper cards, but that's a little TOO retro, LOL.)

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                • #9
                  At the library I worked at, we have 6 self-check out machines. Instead of 4 people checking out/in, they reduced to 3. One is by the self-check out machines. Some of the older books have paper barcodes that get worn out. Some oversized books have the barcodes in the midle of the book, where the scanner can't scan.

                  But there are people to help the self-check out.

                  There is always a guard by the door. If a sensor goes off the guard will get the person to come back in and check to see if the books are checked out.
                  Time! Time! Time is what turns kittens into cats.

                  Don't teach me a lesson; all I learn is that you are an asshole.

                  I wish porn had subtitles.

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                  • #10
                    The library in my city used to have one service desk on the main floor and one on the lower floor in the children's department. Now on the main floor they have self checkouts and one librarian is still there to help people that can't use the self checkout.

                    I think the service desk in the children's department is still there but I have no idea because I don't really go down there.

                    Now, the other (smaller) library in my county has a full service desk and one self checkout machine. I always use self checkouts if I'm given the choice though.

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                    • #11
                      Library i work in uses SCO only. but want to chat about the weather or get a book recommended? We still have our information desks with the same personnel we used to have with desk-checkout. A lot of people still come up to us for a chat or a good book - the two can live together peacefully

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                      • #12
                        My library system mainly uses SCO machines, although customers can still check items out at the "customer service desk". (staff from the reference and circulation departments man this)

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                        • #13
                          Got the word that apparently jobs were lost in this "upgrade" ...

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