Perhaps I can share the Northampton experience of implementing
self-service? We have certainly been able to reduce staffing input to
our service desks, by some 29%, as a result of implementing self-service
- but at the same time we've been able to retrain desk staff so that we
now run a broader-based Help Desk, rather than a circulation-only
service point. The result is that we are now able to offer a more
meaningful contact, based up on individual problems and queries, between
staff and users than when staff were focussed on basic transactions. The
29% saving has largely been redirected into more complex and productive
work, as opposed to reundancies.
I feel confident that by and large we offer a better service than
before, and don't deny anyone the opportunity to interact (nicely!) with
our customer services staff. We have been fortunate.
Just in case you're curious, we do offer self-service for both loan and
return, along with self-collection of reservations ('holds' if you
like).
Roger Dixon
Service Desk Manager
Information Services
University of Northampton
Boughton Green Road
Northampton
NN2 7AL
01604 892223
P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
-----Original Message-----
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and
discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Malcolm
Taggart
Sent: 27 February 2007 11:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: self-checkin / self-return machines - problems? ( don't
want to sound
Tom,
I think that's more of an "issue" with public libraries, where
self-service has led to (been seen as a means to?) redeployment (e.g.
meeting and greeting) and natural wastage (rather than redundancy). At
Keele
we have enough problems with self-service "check-outs" to contemplate
"check-ins" as well!
Malcolm
---------------------------
Malcolm Taggart
[log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Poston" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:07 AM
Subject: Re: self-checkin / self-return machines - problems? ( don't
want to
sound
Without sounding like a bit of a Ludite, doesn't the automation of
return
services abstract ( no pun intended) some of the human element of
interaction within the library - thus further distancing Librarians from
the
end users ( and further establish the mistaken stereotype of librarian
guarding the books from the users )
Does it not also mean that job 'revalidation' and cuts are more likely
if
significant proportions of the service function can be re-assigned to
machines.
Just a thought.
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