Grant for Kiosk means Borrowers can Self-Serve Books
Published on 18 August 2022
Mansfield Shire Council and its library team have this week congratulated the Friends of Mansfield Library on the group’s successful application to the Bendigo Bank Community Fund which will enable the purchase of a self-serve kiosk for Mansfield Library.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide this sponsorship to support opportunity and innovation at the Mansfield Library. We hope that the project will help to improve the efficiency of Library administrative process and allow Library staff to commit more time to the engagement of visitors and delivery of library programmes and services,” said Ryan Daykin Bendigo Bank Branch Manager at the Community Bank Mansfield & District.
Mayor Cr James Tehan said the grant of $5,741 was a demonstration of how volunteer groups and community-minded organisations work together in Mansfield for the benefit of the community.
“On behalf of the Council and our library team, I thank the Friends of the Library group for putting in the application and Bendigo Bank for supporting this initiative. The library already has one kiosk where borrowers can check-out the books they want to borrow. This second kiosk is in response to library patrons’ feedback that many of them prefer to be served rather than use the existing self-serve kiosk because they, or their children, want to interact with our staff or require reader advice, help or information. This social connection is a vital part of the service offered by the library,” Cr Tehan said.
The grant, which was awarded last week, covers the full cost of purchasing the self-serve station (kiosk) from FE Technologies. This kiosk will be positioned on the front desk enabling borrowers to check-out their own books, while conversing with library staff.
Cr Tehan said the library is in the process of undergoing a complete refurbishment and at the request of library staff, two self-serve kiosks have been incorporated into the new design.
The existing kiosk is positioned by the front door of the library, suiting borrowers who prefer privacy and/or a fast exit. The new kiosk will be positioned on the front desk enabling borrowers to check-out their own books, while conversing with library staff.
“The kiosk will give library patrons more options and will also aid the library staff who currently process the majority of check-outs. With a visitation rate of one visit to the library every 1.45 minutes (pre COVID), assisting with check-outs takes up a significant amount of staff time,” he said.
Image: L-R: Ryan Daykin (Branch Manager, Community Bank), Justine Shelton (Coordinator Library Services Mansfield Shire Council), Liz Clarke (Friends of the Mansfield Library Inc) and Community Bank’s Isadora Tirtowalujo and Clare Ridler.