Aside from the benefit to the customers, I wonder if the impact on fines income targets might be mitigated by the argument that pre-notifications contribute to the corporate "Avoidable Contact" measures?
Steven
Steven Heywood
Systems Manager
Rochdale Library Service
Wheatsheaf Library
Baillie Street
Rochdale OL16 1JZ
Tel: (01706) 924967
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http://www.rochdale.gov.uk
http://libraries.rochdale.gov.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Roy Clare
Sent: 06 August 2008 17:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Library Elf
Dear Colleagues,
I have found this a most interesting thread. May I offer the view, born of my experience running a large national museum, that the deciding factor should be quality of service to the consumer? In busy lives we all forget to do things, so the quality of service yardstick suggests that prior notification will win more public hearts and minds than any strategy that tries to extract fines. Really good service will lead to many more users, and - probably - stable revenue from fines, as Hugh suspects, and I agree.
Roy
Roy Clare
CEO MLA
--------------------------
Sent using BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wed Aug 06 15:50:47 2008
Subject: Library Elf
I've been testing Library Elf for some months using my own library account and would like to roll it out as a system to give users early warning of overdues, as this is something which we do not seem able to do via our LMS (Unicorn).
One of the deciding factors will be financial, and I would be very grateful to hear from anyone who has been able to quantify any loss in revenue from overdues/fines resulting from people using Elf. I suspect it will be very hard to pin down as I can't see there is any real way of knowing if someone renewed items just in time because of an Elf notification or otherwise.
My personal guess is that it would be swings and roundabouts - we would probably lose a smallish amount in fines but gain in enhanced public image, user friendliness etc.
All ideas gratefully received, however subjective or impressionistic, and I'm happy to summarise if I get enough replies.
Thanks,
Hugh Paton
Development and Support Services Manager
Bexley Library Service
London Borough of Bexley
Tel. 020 8309 4134
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