The Dorset County Council, which has 34 different libraries across the country, has seen 80% of issues being processed through 3M SelfCheck stations
The organisation has achieved “a transformed library service for both customers and staff” following a 15 month installation programme and an investment of around £1.3m.
Aiming to develop its services at a time when it had more than half a million items in circulation, Dorset County Council decided to implement radio frequency identification detection (RFID) technology in October 2008.
Dorset opted for RFID after it felt the need to have robust technology that will allow its staff to handle stock management efficiently.
Cutting edge technology in limited budget
Amid economic uncertainties, the county had to manage budget pressures. However, it needed a 21st century method of delivering services across its libraries that were distinctly different.
Despite stringent budget restraints, Dorset hoped to keep its range of diverse branches open and decided to tackle the problem by reducing opening hours in each branch. By implementing a self-service system, made possible through RFID, it hoped the libraries could be revitalised.
To meet the progressive demands of its customers, its library service team wanted an RFID supplier who would not just install the required technology, but also understand its needs and provide creative solutions to help deliver its service objectives to provide a transformed service.
Colin Lusted, project manager, Dorset County Council, said: “Everyone has been talking about RFID and we knew it was a natural progression that would help us implement a significant and exciting programme of change, but it is a huge investment to make. When the decision was made to utilise RFID technology by implementing a self service system, we drew up a very tough brief.”
Following the process, the council opted for 3M, the diversified technology company as it met the organisation’s flexibility requirements and offered full support services.
The transformation
After choosing the RFID technology provider, Dorset carried out both structural and refurbishment changes.
A range of SelfCheck equipment was chosen with advice from 3M, which could be fully integrated with the existing Library Management System (LMS) and included 49 3M R-Series SelfCheck units which were fitted with a cash Fines and Fees option providing a flexible payment solution. These units were incorporated into the design process, which also utilised bespoke furniture.
3M 8900 RFID detection gates were chosen for larger branches but the team felt that it wasn’t necessary to install these across all the libraries due to the difference in footfall. The equipment has been designed to be unobtrusive and fit into the design of the buildings.
The roadmap
The service included efficient security and stock management of the 640,000 items in circulation across the libraries and the additional 65,000 new items (55,000 books and 10,000 audio visual items) Dorset Library Service purchases each year. To ensure the existing service worked seamlessly with the 3M SelfCheck equipment and the new stock management process, each item needed to be tagged on arrival.
Lusted said: “As to tackle the logistical problem of tagging our stock, we selected solutions that allowed staff to scan barcodes on books and use the information held on the LMS to print an RFID tag.
Its tagging process didn’t interfere with normal library functions and the stock was ready to use with the SelfCheck equipment once it was installed.
It also installed 3M Central Management software to operate and monitor the self-service units across the libraries. The software provides detailed statistics on item circulation, patron traffic, and security alerts.
Dorset said this has helped in day-to-day monitoring of the systems, providing statistics, and making the SelfCheck equipment more efficient. By reducing time spent gathering statistics and by increasing the overall quality of data available centrally, the decision making process within libraries can be much improved, leading to better service levels.
It saw a 95% per cent take-up of SelfCheck stations in the bigger libraries and 75-80% in some of the smaller branches.
Stock management
One of the major changes experienced by Dorset library professionals is the change in the way stock is managed. It is using 15 Digital Library Assistants (DLA) - some permanently located in larger libraries and the remainder shared across the smaller branches. These hand held devices instantly read 3M RFID tags inserted into library materials, enabling whole shelves of media to be identified by title, ID number and/or author just by passing the device in front of the spines of the books on the shelves. This dramatically reduces time spent traditionally weeding, sorting and locating stock, enabling staff to spend even more time with customers or undertake other activities, with the ultimate aim of restoring library opening hours.
Tracy Long, Dorset Library service manager said: “The DLAs facilitate much quicker stock checks enabling staff to carry them out more frequently and easily locate slow moving or incorrectly filed items. Members of staff are constantly discovering different ways to use them, revolutionising the stock management process - and the DLAs are proving a very useful addition to the SelfCheck systems.”
Long said: “By supporting staff with customer service training they understood how important their role in the library was and were able to approach customers and share the benefits of self-service with them without feeling unprepared.”
The council said that the implementation of self-check technology has helped it achieve their wider aims for the county’s library programme.
Lusted said that the move has enabled to demonstrate to library users the changing attitude and services of libraries. “On a wider scale, Dorset has future plans to make libraries multifunctional and has started to incorporate children’s services into the same buildings. This reinforces the messages that libraries really should be a hub at the centre of a community.
And David Fletcher, 3M, said: “SelfCheck Systems are designed to give librarians more freedom from the routine tasks of checking materials in and out, allowing them to spend more time with customers and ultimately providing an enhanced supporting service. The investment made by Dorset has already helped staff deliver a new model of service that reflects the requirements of today’s library user and will be a key factor in moving to a very different library service of the future.”