Hi all,
Many thanks to all of those, who replied to my question about self-issue or self-checkout systems. A number asked me to summarise for the list, so here goes....
Firstly I would like to thank Eleanor Webster, the Librarian for NHS Direct Avon, Gloucester, Wiltshire who sent me a copy of her dissertation on self-issue systems. Eleanor has looked at the literature and conducted an extremely informative survey of institutions using these systems. Eleanor has kindly offered to e-mail this to anyone else who is interested. She can be contacted at [log in to unmask]
Other responses were.
1. I was happy with the service received from Optical Solutions. We've been using it for c. 2 months. It would work a lot better if people read the instructions before trying to use it! There's not been a huge take up yet, but it is gradually gaining acceptance.
2. We installed a 3M self-check unit as a 1 year pilot using Unicorn LMS and so far have had no problems. It is very popular with staff and students and is currently accounting for 10% of our issues. We are open 08.30 - midnight, with
security staffing only between 21.00 - midnight (still needed to stop
the students by-passing the system entirely). Don't suppose a unit will
stop theft completely but it does allow you to offer an enhanced service
to the more honest of your users.
3. We use the 3M self-issue system with Sirsi's Unicorn, and we love it,
but I should like to point out that I would not regard a self-issue system as a security device, so I would not dream of using in an unsupervised situation.
4. We have just installed a Kwik-Issue self-issue system to supplement our issue desk. Mainly used for out-of-hours service (we are a 24 X 7 library). So far, so good but it is early days.
5. Try contacting Sunderland University library. They pioneered self issue using a 3M system. My daughter used it regularly and said it was brilliant, really convenient. There is a check-in and check out unit, you get a receipt and it deals with fines. There was an article about it in the LAR some years ago.
6. Several libraries mentioned that they have the borrower simply sign the card and leave it to be dealt with by the library staff the next morning. One person said that this seems to work most of the time and they have made it more likely for people to borrow even expensive books that were traditionally reference only by making them loan copies, and thus having an easier route for people to borrow them.
7. One person had problems with their system because their server was situated some miles from the system and often crashed during the night leaving the system unusable.
8. We use the SIRSI Unicorn system and are very pleased with the self-issue
aspect. We have a very email oriented culture here and the system will accept
either a barcode placed on the access cards that everyone carries, or the
email personal prefix typed into an alternative field, which is useful if people have not got their access card. We find that the system works very well for loans and it also uses the email name to generate overdue notices and this also works very well.
9. We use Unicorn 2000. I am in the middle of trying to set up a self-issue system just using a PC terminal. It's proving a nightmare and I still haven't succeeded. This is not much help to you, but I'd be grateful to hear from anyone else who has succeeded!
10. We have had the 3M 6210 working since September. According to statistics recently it is dealing with up to 10% of issues leaving the library. The main problems we have had are misunderstanding and desensitisation. Some of our stock has double triggers in etc. This has meant a fair deal of fine tuning the desensitisation unit so that all triggers are desensitised. 3M seem to be very used to this and very willing to tune it to the needs of the users/building.
One piece of advice is to ensure 3m have examples of all the different types of
barcode you have on stock. This means they can set the scanners to read the
various barcodes prior to delivery. Also we have the problem that the user id
barcode on the library ticket is at one end of the ticket in a 'vertical' position. IE it is not horizontal across the library ticket. 3M have modified the holder on the machine accordingly but we are about to have the problem that staff will have a ticket/id card with the barcode horizontal and the students have a vertical barcode. It is advisable to do some research on this before installing!!!!
Finally - we have not had security barcodes printed (ie ones which are less
reproducable) but it is advisable not to have a colour photocopier near the
unit. I was given this advice in my previous post by a library which had caught
students photocopying barcodes to smuggle out other books. Security barcodes
are approx a 1/4 more expensive than standard ones if I remember rightly.
11. We have just implemented a self-issue machine. It is the Plescon version. It's early days yet but we are needing to be very active in promoting it.
12. Had a tour of Liverpool Central Public Library. They've got one self-issue machine at their issue desk - they say v few people want to use it and that less than 5% of the issue goes through it.
Again thanks to all who responded. You have all been very helpful.
Merry Christmas to all
Humphrey
Dr Humphrey Dunn
Project Manager Knowledge Services
Health Sciences Library
University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust
Walsgrave Hospital
Clifford Bridge Road
Coventry CV2 2DX
Phone: 024 76538755
Fax: 024 76535143
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