The Shenzhen Public Library in Southern China co-developed and patented a new automated library machine that not only lends books, but issues cards as well. The machine is meant to be a twenty-four hour access to the library’s collection and holds around 400 books on a multilayer conveyor belt. The books, stored behind glass, allow patrons to browse, make their selection, receive their book, and then return it to the machine when they’re done.
Patrons also have the ability to reserve items through the library’s OPAC or the machine itself. Once the item is ready, the patron gets a text message on their phone and the book is sent to the machine closest to the patron.
The scariest thing about this is the price, or rather the lack of price. The machine only costs a little over US$57,000.
$309 million to replace the library with machines (???)
Shenzhen Library’s collection of 2.17 million books divided by 400 books per machine multiplied by $57,000/unit= $309.2 million (?).
I don’t think my job is in jeopardy, yet. Unless my math really sucks. Which it might.
Mathematical
You know, Effing, I worked the same equation myself when I read this. I got the same answer and breathed a small sigh of relief.
Some books contain the machinery required to create and sustain universes. Tycho (Jerry Holkins) @ Penny Arcade
Automated Library – is actually an “intelligent” drop box
I think the new automated system is brilliant. It won’t replace librarians, that isn’t the point. As described in the details it is a “smart” drop box. It would be refilled with requested items and probably some high demand titles as well. This is about getting the library “transaction point” out into multiple locations where the customer is present. It seems to me it is a way to have multiple “circ desks” all supporting the library function. Let’s get librarians out behind the circ desk and let them actually work with customers. Let the machine take care of routine functions like library cards, check out, returns etc. If energetic, service oriented librarians spent their day on “high value” interactions with their customers, the library world would be better off.
http://thefishbits.wordpress.com/
I have seen this plus the use of “smart college graduates”
Over MLS librarians fail over and over again over the last 30 years.
Never fails. Everyplace that has ever attempted to do without MLS librarians, has found that all of the alternatives both cost more, and were rather less efficient, and also resulted in a rather less than happy client base. This has occured so many times as to completely dismiss the concept that the MLS is not necessary.
Its only unnecessary to those to lazy to go though the process of getting the degree.