MANSFIELD — The Richland County/Mansfield Public Library has completed a transformation within its audio/visual department. The aim is to create a more modern and welcoming appearance for the modern media.
“We completed it in maybe March or April,” director Chris May said. “But we wanted to tweak some things before we wanted to really promote it. It’s been going well for a few months now.”
The changes include new shelving for the CDs, new colors of paint, removing blinds to add more natural light, and new self-check out kiosks for members to use on their way out.
“We have three self-checks. That’s a huge change for any library once you start putting in that kind of stuff,” May said.
The self check-out program allow users to check out their materials in a hurry and learn more about what the library can provide for them, said deputy director Mary Frankenfield.
“We wanted to get the self-check out machines because that’s something that other stores and shops have — being comfortable doing things on their own.
“An additional benefit is we are able to advertise things like materials such as books and magazines, audio books, e-books, and programs. As soon as someone checks out their materials, the machine recognizes what they are checking out at makes recommendations for other items they may be interested in.”
People are able to have the check-out machine email them lists of the materials or print out a list.
The automated check-out machines have also allowed the library to reassign staff to other things, allowing attention to things elsewhere in the building, May said.
“Especially on the second floor when it comes to shelving and making the area look nice — that takes a lot of work in a building of this size,” the director said. “Especially when you have three departments. So we are using our circulation staff that way.
“There is so much going on at the library, in the community,” Frankenfield said. “People are just bombarded with this activity or that event, and so anytime you have a chance to catch (people) when they are focused on whatever they are looking at and advertise a program or a title to them — that’s a great opportunity. It’s better than having them walk past a bulletin with 50 flyers on it.”
May said since the machines arrived, more and more people are choosing to use the self-check out method.
“We went to a couple other libraries where they just put in self-checkout and sort of forced you to use them,” May said. “Here we have people who can help you at the desk or you can use the self-check out. It was very important to us. Whatever you want to do, you have the opportunity to do either.”
