Technology Comes to…Library Book Shelves?

Of all of the screens you look at on a daily basis—computers, phone screens, tablets—we’re willing to bet that you gravitate toward the ones that you can control by touch. The practice of reaching out and tapping or touching icons and links on a screen is something that comes intuitively to us, and companies are responding to that, creating products that integrate touchscreen technology into the use of things we use everyday. What happens when touchscreen technology is utilized with an application that you wouldn’t expect, such as library book shelves?

Case Study: Salve Regina University, Newport, Rhode Island

Located in the center of the Bellevue Avenue Historic District in Newport, Rhode Island, Salve Regina University is an accredited institution that serves over 2,500 students a year. Even with a small student body, the University offers a wide range of academic studies—and as a result, the University’s McKillop Library holds approximately 15,000 books in addition to being home to a computer lab, workspaces, and other collaborative areas.

In order to make room for those collaborative areas, Donnegan worked with Olga Verbeek, Salve Regina’s Director of Library Services, to install a 22-carriage mobile storage system, which would store a large amount of the Library’s physical book collection. It was a fantastic solution for compacting the collection, and the powered touchpad control was intuitive enough that students, faculty, and visitors alike could use the system with little challenge.

However, Dan Loreaux, an Account Manager at Donnegan Systems, wondered if he could make the experience for McKillop’s librarygoers even more effortless—and through the library would be a great candidate for an LCD touchscreen-powered control that Spacesaver was developing, the Touch Technology Control. When Loreaux was at the Library, he noticed students and library patrons were on their smartphones and tablets constantly, and he wondered if having the same type of technology built into the compact library book storage system would create further ease-of-use. He installed the Touch Technology Control to see if it would have any added impact on the library’s day-to-day operations.

The screen of the Touch Technology Control featured the same functions available on the original touchpad control—but by only showing you the movements you’re able to make at any given time, the touchscreen control makes the mobile storage system easier to use. By allowing only one command at a time, the visual cues automatically eliminated the need to come up and ask Verbeek how to use the system—a question she would get several times a day.

“There were always questions on the buttons the patrons needed to push in order to access the materials they needed,” said Verbeek. “Now, because the touchscreen on the mobile book storage is essentially the same technology they use on a daily basis, it’s cut down on the confusion.” Verbeek goes on to say that in the off-chance someone does have a question, the built-in tutorials within the system further eliminate explanation time.

While it might seem strange to think that the addition of a 4.3″ touchscreen on a mobile storage system for library book shelves might lead to ease of use, fewer questions for staff, and increased productivity, that’s precisely what it’s done at Salve Regina University. The students and staff use the system without any hesitation, and Verbeek is able to concentrate on what she does best—implementing the programs and services that can really make a difference in a student’s tenure at Salve Regina.

Interested in learning about the intersection of technology and library book shelves? Enter your email below to download an Info Sheet on the Touch Technology Control option for mobile shelving.