Technology's Evolution @ the Marathon County Public Library

3M Intelligent Return and Sorter system

"Technology evolves at library", by Mike Hartkopf, Customer Service Manager at Marathon County Public Library. (Wausau Daily Herald, 6/28/2011)

Excerpt: Since 2006, the library has experienced a 32.6 percent increase in materials being checked out, while simultaneously absorbing a 17.3 percent decrease in staffing. With the increased number of checkouts, we needed quickly to become more efficient in order to provide the same quality of service. Subsequently, we purchased six self-checkout machines in 2006 and began gently nudging our customers to use them.

In August 2006, only 3 percent of materials were checked out using these machines. Today, 70 percent of library materials are checked out at the Wausau Branch using self-checkout. We could not have moved forward without the great support of our customers and their willingness to accept this change.

Related post:  
Self check-in @ Wausau branch of Marathon County Public Library.  (6/27/2011)