Modern day library services have been focused on streamlining their processes for many years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of limited operating budgets and small numbers of on-site working staff – finding ways to improve workflow have become a top priority. This is especially true when faced with special requests for book holds, which requires extra time and effort versus day-to-day library work.
One idea that the pandemic response has driven to the forefront of people’s minds is the safety and convenience of curbside pickup systems. While this may be safer than allowing patrons inside, this approach adds additional steps and time demands on already busy library staff, especially when it comes to multi-step processes like this:
- Step 1: Customer places items on hold using online catalog.
- Step 2: Staff receives hold request and retrieves book from shelves.
- Step 3: Customer waits for notification from staff that your hold(s) are ready.
- Step 4: Once notified, customer visits at the library during our available
contactless curbside pickup hours.
- Step 5: Call Library staff using the phone number listed on our signage.
- Staff will check out your items and bring them out in a paper bag with
your last name and first initial.
- Bags will be placed on the No Contact Pickup table assigned to you,
located in front of the library.
- Staff will check out your items and bring them out in a paper bag with
- Step 6: Customer waits in car until items are placed on the assigned pickup table
and staff have returned inside the library.
- Step 7: Pick up your items.
“What’s more – researchers are finding that while the idea of curbside pickup is more comforting in this time of pandemic, many retail customers are growing frustrated with the downsides of this approach.”
What’s really needed is a solution that combines the safety of curbside pickup with the reliability and security of user driven pickup. This is where solutions such as modular smart lockers from Luxer One can help!
Luxer One’s smart locker systems are managed via smartphone apps that have the ability to integrate with online Library Management System (LMS) catalogs. This means library customers could have access to book hold pickups 24 hours a day. These secure, locker systems could also be used for everyday processes such as book returns, helping to modernize the entire library experience!
For more information on how Smart Library Locker systems can help your organization, feel free to contact our team today!
