The English county of Kent is home to 99 libraries. A long established customer of Lorensbergs, Kent Libraries uses Netloan PC booking software to manage computers and self-service printing across its extensive library estate. Both desktop and wireless printing services are provided.
With so many sites and staff to support, the library relies on Netloan’s reliable, flexible solutions to keep resource management simple. Netloan achieves this with a holistic approach to managing functionality, robust support and responsive account management.
Lorensbergs spoke to Kelly Neath, Service Manager Business Support, and David Anderson, Systems Support Officer, about their experience of using Netloan and working with Lorensbergs as their supplier.
Comprehensive management of the library’s digital offer
With Netloan, Kent Libraries is able to manage PCs and printing using a convenient online portal. It gives staff instant access to PC bookings, print release and to both site and PC settings. Library staff can adjust site opening hours and manage bookings from here. They can extend PC sessions and manage anything else that relates to ongoing customer contact.
IT colleagues manage the administration of the system through the same portal. So everyone works within and references the same settings provided by the online tools, with the appropriate permissions to suit their roles.
The online portal also enables customers to access their Netloan account to book PC sessions in advance or to submit files to print out at library printers from their own devices.
Netloan functionality is also integrated on to self-service bibliotheca kiosks, enabling customers to reserve PC time and manage their printing at these important service points.
It’s all supported by the Netloan team who provide responsive account management and technical support services.
Above: Kent Libraries use Netloan PC booking and print management, with Netloan for selfCheck facilitating self-service payments via the kiosks. With Netloan Wi-Fi print, library users have the option to print from their laptops, phones and tablets to library printers. Photo credit right and top: Julia Chandler/Libraries Taskforce
Netloan self-service at Kent Libraries
“Netloan integration on the self-service kiosks is absolutely integral to our service delivery,” comments Kelly. “By supporting both print and book related transactions, the kiosks provide a really useful service point in our libraries.
“There’s very few things you can’t pay for on a kiosk. It’s very useful that customers can use them to pay for everything they need. It’s led to customers being more self-sufficient and not having to wait for staff help, which has proved very popular. Both card and cash transactions are supported on the kiosks, making it even more convenient.
“Staff can be very busy on the library floor and it means customers don’t need to queue up to pay at the desk. They just go to the kiosk and tap their card. It’s a great improvement that they don’t need to find change to make payment – so many people don’t carry cash around anymore. Prints only cost 15p and not many people carry such small amounts of change.
“Even still, although there’s been a general move away from cash, some of our customers are unlikely to stop using it. So it’s good that the kiosks give people a choice of payment type.”
Wi-Fi printing service success
Kent Libraries are pleased to offer customers the ability to print from their own devices in the library using Netloan Wi-Fi print.
David explained how they prepared for the service launch: “We trained staff using the supporting documentation and with local trainers available to answer queries if needed. We encouraged them to try out using the service and practise printing in the library. This preparation went really well and we were soon ready to go live to customers.”
“Across the hundreds of staff that look after our libraries, the reception has been incredibly positive for Netloan Wi-Fi print,” adds Kelly. “Customers like it too. Most find it very straightforward, using the Netloan upload portal to select and submit their documents. It’s also helpful that it’s the same way to print from all devices, so easy for staff if customers have any questions.”
The library soon saw good flows of Wi-Fi printing volumes. Staff were confident to tell users about it. The posters provided by Lorensbergs helped raise interest and encouraged customers to start printing from their devices.
“We branded the materials with our own logos and added QR codes to help users to access the print upload webpage easily. People can print from anywhere. They can print while working from their laptops in the library. Or they might print from their phone while on the move, then pop in, pay and pick up their documents.
“With Netloan Wi-Fi print, the combination of the user’s online upload portal with pay and release from the kiosk works really well. It just makes everything so much quicker and easier for customers, walking straight up to the kiosk to release their print jobs. And it’s so much easier for staff too, not having to be at the counter to take payments. All our staff are floorwalking and the kiosks free them up to do this.”
How Netloan supports access
“PCs remain very popular in our libraries and so is printing. They are big drivers for people to visit the library,” says Kelly. “It’s important for customers to have peace of mind that they will have PC access when they need it so we allow them to book PC sessions up to a week ahead. They can do this either online or from the kiosk.
“We frequently have advance bookings for sessions in our busier libraries. Our regular customers especially like to do this,” says David. “Some have a PC in a familiar spot they like to rebook and they can select this when making their booking in Netloan.”
“Our more vulnerable users may completely rely on the library for these facilities and have vital documents they need to print off,” adds Kelly.
“Customers’ digital skills vary a lot, with some completely confident in using computers and others needing our help. It’s easy for most users to just walk up and get onto a PC. If it’s busy, they can look up the next available slot at the kiosk and book it. We have volunteers – Computer Buddies – that run pre-booked sessions to help less confident customers use the PCs.
“The computers have been set up with an OPAC button so customers don’t need to log on via Netloan to access the catalogue. Using this button it gives you 15 minutes to search the online catalogue.
“We use the group booking Netloan feature to manage classes in the libraries. These are organised on a district level to meet local needs. We have 12 districts in total. One Open+ library uses a group booking for an after-school homework club.”
The kiosk self-service is especially important for the Open+ libraries. Netloan can help here in other ways too:
“We’re looking to start using the automated extensions feature, enabling users to stay on the computers past the initial hour for 30 minutes at a time,” says David. “This will be especially useful during unstaffed hours, to support customers with longer sessions.”
Working with Lorensbergs
“We have a very good account manager who answers our queries quickly. We touch base around once a quarter which is just right for us. The Lorensbergs’ support desk is also very efficient, with any support tickets quickly resolved,” says Kelly.
“We never have to worry about anything with Lorensbergs. Netloan is generally a very stable platform. It’s very consistent. And if our LMS happens to go down, we switch on the Netloan cache mode which means users can still get on to the computers. It’s much less disruptive to customers and can be a real lifesaver if the libraries are busy!”
Kent Libraries is also a regular attendee at the annual customer user groups.
“I usually come to the Netloan user groups to hear about the latest Netloan developments,” says David. “A colleague attends too to hear the technical updates. It’s a really useful event to attend each year.”
In conclusion
“Lorensbergs is an important supplier for Kent Libraries,” comments Kelly. “Our computers continue to be in demand and there will always be a place for public PC provision. It’s definitely a very important part of what we provide.
“We’re glad Lorensbergs is such a reliable supplier. We would certainly recommend Netloan to other libraries. Definitely integrate it with your kiosks as it frees up staff to focus on providing excellent customer service and enables users to be self-sufficient for printing and making payments. It’s straightforward and makes life so much easier.”
With thanks to Kelly Neath and David Anderson at Kent Libraries.
