COMPANY

In 1997, when the Fayetteville (Arkansas) Public Library (FPL) brought on a new executive director, the facility and collection were in disrepair. The library had only a few computers. The new director and her staff devised and executed a campaign to transform FPL from an underfunded, underperforming library into a world class one.

During the library’s transformation, FPL walked a fine line, the familiar one between a tight budget and the goal of delivering excellent service. “We are one of those libraries that has a champagne taste but had a beer budget,” said the executive director. “And in our case, this necessity provided the spark for significant innovation.”

CHALLENGE

Additionally, the library determined that the solution had to integrate RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology because RFID held the most promise for reducing customer check out times and the amount of time library staff spent on repetitive tasks as well as for providing straightforward, simple to use self-service check out and check in.

During the library’s analysis of labor saving circulation technologies, FPL considered a number of options, but none of these existing technologies provided an optimal solution. FPL’s research revealed that most self-check stations suffered two significant weaknesses: cost and size. The average cost of self-check stations ranged between $20,000 and $25,000 and most are so huge and clunky that FPL’s staff was convinced that they would go unused by patrons. FPL simply could not afford to pay $20,000 or more for the self-check stations offered by vendors. FPL also wanted a self-check kiosk with a small footprint.

SOLUTION

In early 2004, Polaris contracted with SeePoint to design and manufacture a small footprint, touch screen self-service station with a RFID reader that uses nonproprietary RFID tags. The introduction of these self-service check out kiosks, known as ExpressCheck™ by Polaris, represents a turning point for self-service in libraries, which have been experimenting for years with prohibitively expensive and unwieldy self-service machines. The ExpressCheck is an easy to use, small footprint, truly affordable solution that provides a full range of self-service functions for the library patron and incorporates both commonly-used and leading edge technologies.

The ExpressCheck provides a low cost self-service solution that exceeded the expectations of a library with champagne tastes and a beer budget. The cost for each kiosk unit is about $4500 for a barcode scanning unit – compared to $20,000 or $25,000 per unit for competitive products. In fact, the ExpressCheck system is more than 75 percent less expensive than comparable self-service solutions. In the past, cost has been the single most prohibitive barrier to entry for libraries seeking to implement self-service.

The small footprint kiosks can be set up anywhere and invite use. With its slim profile and small base, the kiosks can be set up almost anywhere and can be moved around as needed. The ExpressCheck is immediately identifiable as a self-check station. Because it offers a slim profile and resembles a PC, it is not intimidating to library customers. Customers find ExpressCheck easy to use and rarely need assistance. The self-service station also can be equipped with an overhead sign to help customers identify the stations. There is also an area on the front of the monitor with a slide panel, which is easy to customize or change as necessary.

The kiosks are fully integrated with the Polaris automation software system used by FPL to order, process and circulate materials. Patrons can use self-service to perform virtually every function that, in the past, would have required the intervention of library staff. In addition to using the ExpressCheck to check out library materials, patrons can use the self-service systems to renew items, view fines and fees, and check for items checked out, overdue or requested. Library customers enjoy speed and privacy when they check out their own materials, and self-service stations in libraries are also line busters that provide a convenient service for their users.
ExpressCheck allows libraries to better use scarce resources by having the self-service stations facilitate the most labor intensive and repetitive tasks, such as check out, leaving the library staff available to assist patrons in other more demanding service areas.

The ExpressCheck systems installed at FPL utilize RFID technology, which provides customers with the speediest and most satisfying self-service experience. With its modular design, ExpressCheck also accommodates the predominant technology of barcode scanning, enabling libraries to implement self-service now with the ability to add RFID to their existing ExpressCheck stations later.

Because most libraries still use barcodes to identify materials, an omni-directional scanner is seamlessly and securely integrated with every ExpressCheck station. Omni-directional scanning is far superior to the single line scanner used on other self-check kiosks because an omni-directional scanner can read a barcode in almost any orientation while single line scanners force the customer to precisely orient the label to the scanner in order to get a read. Single line scanners can be extremely frustrating to use.

For the RFID stations, a tray lying in front of the monitor is the RFID antenna. The patron scans his library card and then places items on the tray where the RFID antenna detects them and initiates the check out. Multiple items may be placed on the tray at one time. A receipt prints at the end of the transaction, listing items and due dates.

FPL wanted to incorporate RFID because it provides for even faster and easier self-check services – and thus greater customer satisfaction. The advantage of these more intelligent RFID systems is that, unlike barcode systems, an RFID system can read the information on an RFID tag without requiring any line of sight or a particular orientation. Moreover, RFID enables multiple tags to be ready rapidly and simultaneously. Although FPL chose to limit check out to one item at a time, the system can be configured to check out several books, CDs or DVDs at once. A check out on an RFID kiosk takes only a fraction of the time required on barcode stations and eliminates the frustration associated with barcode scanning. Thus, RFID greatly simplifies and improves self-service transactions for the library patron.

It is also very easy to train customers on how to use the library’s self-service RFID kiosks. From FPL’s youngest to its oldest to its most techno-phobic patron, every customer is capable of using the self-check kiosks because all that is required is to set the items down on the tray.

The introduction into libraries of RFID technology, with its superior inventory controls and security functions, is especially significant as libraries increasingly add costly DVDs and CDs to their collections. Because the library’s financial resources will remain scarce, its ability to track materials and ensure that they are properly checked out by patrons translates to dollars that can be spent on increasing the collection with new items, not replacing items which have been lost or stolen.

RESULTS

The introduction of the ExpressCheck represents a turning point for self-service in libraries.
· ExpressCheck is more than 75 percent less expensive than competitive products;
· Utilizes a small footprint that can be set up virtually anywhere in the library and that invites use by patrons;
· Uses RFID for the most user friendly experience and also incorporates barcode scanning for scalability;
· Uses nonproprietary RFID tags for maximum cost effectiveness; and
· Is fully integrated with the library’s circulation software allowing full functionality at the self-service station without requiring costly and cumbersome translation software.

Library customers eagerly adopted the self-check kiosks. They even lined up to use them. Only nine months after introduction, 37 percent of all FPL circulation is being done using the self-check stations.




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