My apologies for the tardiness in this posting.
ORIGINAL QUESTIONS:
Our district is currently discussing ways to update the library media centers. One
of the district administrators asked if we, the library media staff, had ever
considered or looked into a computerized self checkout system. Does anyone out
there have a self checkout system in place? How is self checkout working in your
library? Do you feel that it has increased circulation? What are the positive
factors of self checkout? What are the negative issues of self checkout? What
circulation system do you use? I am willing to post a hit if there is interest in
one. Thank you
REPLIES:
I am in a K-4 Library. I use self-checkout because I am a one-woman show. The
benefits are that students can change their books more frequently, including if I
am out of the media center to work on a computer, etc. The
problems are that sometimes a student does not check in the book correctly or check
it out correctly. Many of these problems work themself out with time.
We have been doing self checkout for several years. For my kindergarten classes I
make barcodes and keep them here for them to self check out. The others memorize
their numbers and type them in. Even some of my special needs students can check
out their own materials. We use Follett system.
We do self checkout in the library--even with Kinder! Our automated system (TLC)
is simple enough to use. The kids know to beep the barcode on their badges, then
the barcode on the books, and then they need to exit by hitting the escape button
twice. To help the kids with that part of the process, we have put an orange
sticker on that key and tell them to "Hit orange orange".
Do error messages pop up from time to time? Yes. Do kids forget to beep their
badges first and beep the book first instead? Yes. These things happen with the
older kids as well. However, the kids are empowered to check out the materials
they want and do not have to wait for a grownup at the desk. Are we still around?
Of course, we are. However, we don't hover over every transaction. The majority
go well, the mission is accomplished, and the job gets done!
My small K-8 Catholic school (290 students) uses self-checkout in our media center.
We have Follett CircPlus and have a station set up so that students have access to
a monitor and scanner, but not a keyboard. Each student has an ID card with their
barcode (on lanyards), so they just scan their card and then their book(s). The
system was started before I started here last fall but I can't imagine our media
center being nearly as accessible without the self-checkout. I am alone in the
media center except for an aide 45 minutes a day (which mostly covers my lunchtime)
and self checkout allows us to have open checkout throughout the day.
The biggest drawbacks are the inaccuracies that occur. A big one is scanning a
book before the ID card, which checks out the book to the previous patron. An even
bigger problem, though, is when there are overdues or too many books already
checked out. Many students either accidentally miss seeing the block message (they
just scan the book barcode, hear a beep, and go on their way without ever looking
at the monitor) or choose to take the book anyway. If I am the first one to see
the screen, I can override the block with a password but, if another student comes
to check out, they usually just clear the message so they can check out their own
book. The problem then created is that the book has left the library with no
record of who checked it out. Most of these books do eventually get returned but,
meantime, our OPAC has inaccurate information about the availability of the book.
(By the way, the kindergarten aide always stays with the class during their entire
library lesson, so she is available to assist with their checkout. The first grade
teacher brings her entire class every day to exchange books and is with them when
they checkout at those times. And the second grade aide regularly accompanies
small groups of her students for open checkout. So the students do have lots of
assisted practice with the checkout procedure before they are on their own.)
Overall, I would say that having self-checkout is not perfect, but is the best
option for my media center.
I have self-checkout and checkin. Using Follett's Destiny I have two computers
with scanners on the circ desk. One for checkout and other for checkin. My K - 5
students have no problem with it. There is a barcode that they scan to clear the
screen so there are 3 simple steps--scan library card with their barcode on it,
scan books' barcodes, and then the quit or reset barcode I have placed on a stop
sign. It is very easy. I also have the 3 steps posted in both English and Spanish
by the scanner. To check in a book one only has to scan the book's barcode. They
know to look at the screen to make sure their name and book is there showing it was
done correctly. If there is a hold on a book they know to come get my clerk or me.
Advantages--no one is tied to the circ desk. I am a teaching librarian and have
very little to do with circulation except to make sure my kids love to read lots
and lots. We have the highest circ in the district and no one else does self
checkout so there is some stats for you to work with. It allows the kids to be
responsible for their reading in all sorts of ways. Very little damage goes
unnoticed because everyone knows it is their library and their materials. I see no
disadvantages--it truly allows my clerk and me to be about bigger
business--getting books back on the shelves, teaching, reader's advisory in the
stacks, etc. Every once in a while a book may be out without being checked out but
that happens everywhere, doesn't it? Same as checking in, right?
We use Infocentre by Sagebrush/Follett in our county media centers. The students
are able to scan a patron barcode, the book barcode, and then a third barcode to
clear the screen. Circulation increased based on the system I can't say because
other factors have knowingly increased circulation. It is faster than previous
methods of checkout. This system also has a stand-alone feature that can be used
when connection to the server is lost. Once the server is up again the system
downloads the checkouts/checkins scanned during stand-alone. As with any barcode
system the computers do need to be monitored. The system uses sound effects which
does help.
Self checkout is available on many newer circulation systems. We're
looking at six different systems right now, but I'm not sold on the
"feature." My biggest problem is that unless you also have a security
system (we don't) what's to stop students from simply taking the books
they want? If students have to come to me to check out I know that the
book has been properly checked out. True, someone who is bent on
stealing a book will still try (and probably succeed), but at least I
have a much better idea of who is taking what when they have to talk to
me first.
The second problem I have with self checkout is that it doesn't let me
talk to the students about their book selections. Recently I had a
student doing a report, and she had over a dozen books that she wanted
to check out. Her topic was minerals in the earth, and she had pulled
every book I had on chemical elements - including hydrogen and oxygen!
When I explained to her that none of those books would help her she
gladly left them behind. Had I not been able to talk to her, she would
have taken those books, read at least one of them, and then realized
that those books weren't going to help her at all.
I guess I'm just an old dinosaur, but I really think that a certain
amount of professional involvement is necessary. True, it doesn't take a
Master's degree to check out a book, but it does take a Master's degree
to know which books a student can actually use. If we give up that
little bit of professional involvement, aren't we hastening the day when
we are a drain on school resources instead of a major student help? Many
Wal-Mart stores now have self-checkout. It is advertised as faster, but
in reality it is a cost-cutting measure. One employee can watch several
checkout stations, and deal with whatever problems come up, instead of
paying four people to cover those four registers. When you add in the
reduction in errors due to incorrect change, it amounts to a large
amount of money saved. Of course, the automated system can't ask if you
found everything you were looking for, so the chance for an additional
sale is lost. If we don't see the student check out, we can't ask them
if they had looked at _____ book.
We use the Dynix Horizon program here in Norman, OK. It has a self-checkout mode
that our students use. I think it is great! I only have a 1/2 time assistant so
it allows my students to be able to check out while I am having class. The
positive aspects are that it frees up my assistant and I so that we can do other
tasks. The 2nd through 5th grade students are able to use it fairly easily. I
have a few 1st graders who can also use it
successfully.
Some of the drawbacks are that you do have to spend some time training students to
use the system. Sometimes, the students confuse the book barcode with our
barcodes. So, they have to learn that ours have our school name on them. We also
have to teach them how to scan with the barcode reader. My assistant trains them
to "bring the book in like they are landing a plane." That method of explanation
seems to work the best. Another drawback is that students aren't limited on the
number of books they can check-out. So, occasionally I have to put up a notice by
the self-checkout station asking students to see me if their name is on the list.
Another drawback is the expense. We started out with 2 circulation stations. One
at my desk and one at my assistants desk. At first, we would turn my assistant's
terminal around for self-checkout while she was shelving books or gone. We
recently added another station that is more readily accessible by students. We had
the added expense of purchasing the computer and had to pay for our own license of
Horizon. The other two licenses are paid for by the district. I really haven't
statistically checked to see if it has increased circulation, but from general
observation I would say it has because students really like being able to check out
their own books. I would say for us it has been very successful.
Maren Stahle
Library Media Specialist
West Bend East High School
1305 East Decorah Rd.
West Bend, WI 53095
Office Phone - 262-335-5553
Fax - 262-335-8242
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