Life Behind Beards Trailer from Steve Hanulec on Vimeo.
2:00 a.m. December 27, 2008
SAN DIEGO — Self-checkout machines, which have become common in retail stores such as Home Depot, are also popping up in a growing number of public libraries throughout the county.
The city and the county of San Diego will expand their self-checkout programs at public libraries in 2009 at a time when they are coping with increasing demand but flat or declining budgets for staffing.
The county, which has 33 branches, has 26 self-checkout machines at 14 locations. In the next few years, it plans to expand the technology to 10 more locations.
The city, which has 36 library branches, has 37 self-checkout machines at 19 sites. It plans to have 49 machines at 22 locations by June. Among the new locations is the Logan Heights branch opening in the fall.
In some county libraries, such as the 4S Ranch and Rancho San Diego branches, as much as 80 percent of the materials checked out are handled by patrons themselves.
In some city libraries, such as North University and the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa branches, self-checkouts approach 70 percent of the circulation.
Jennifer Holland, who uses the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa branch, finds the self-checkout machines easy to use. Plus, she likes the fact that there is no line to use them.
“I've never had a problem,” she said.
The self-checkout machines are stationed near the staffed counter so if problems arise, patrons can get help right away.
Patrons scan their library card, then scan the bar code on the books.
The machines give voice prompts and print out a receipt with the due dates and the titles. The touch screen can provide directions in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, Korean and Vietnamese.
Jane Pisor, who has used the self-checkouts at city and county libraries, said they are easy to use, but she likes interacting with library workers at the checkout counters.
“I like the personal touch,” she said.
The city pays about $12,300 per machine. The county uses a different vendor and pays about $15,000 each.
County library director Jose Aponte said the self-checkout machines have worked out “swimmingly” and have helped the county handle huge increases in circulation with level funding and staffing. The annual number of items checked out at county libraries jumped from 4 million three years ago to more than 6.6 million this past year.
“Clearly, without technology, we would have been making cutbacks already,” he said. “I am very optimistic the technology will help us through some pretty challenging times.”
Aponte said when workers are freed up from the “drudgery of much of the day-to-day checking in and out books,” they have time to work on more meaningful programs, such as book clubs and children's activities.
Bruce Johnson, deputy director of the central division of the San Diego Public Library, also credits self-checkouts for improved operations. “Many users like a more self-directed approach. This helps them,” he said. “It helps us manage future increases in circulation. As branches become busier and circulation goes up, we are better equipped to manage the increase without necessarily adding clerical staff.”
An added benefit, Johnson said, is that patrons gain a measure of privacy by checking out their own books or DVDs.
Steve Hanulec, whose company, Library Automation Technologies, supplied the city's self-checkout machines, said they are becoming standard.
“What's happened now is, we are in a situation where it's become the expected norm wherever you go,” he said.
Helen Gao: (619) 718-5181; helen.gao@uniontrib.com
It turns out that if you peel the popular adhesive tape off its roll in a vacuum chamber, it emits X-rays. The researchers even made an X-ray image of one of their fingers."
As UCLA Graduate Juan Escobar student put it, "I think it's safe to do it in your office. No guarantees."
Just for the record LAT does not manufacture any kind of tape.......
Me, I use glue stick.
Original Caption:
Milan -- Citizens stroll past the controversial cement, steel and glass public library which has excited various comments. Thousands of Milanese have protested the design by architect Mario Arrighetti. The building's front is made up of windows set deep in a multitude of squares, and plain cement surface, smooth and unbroken by any ornamental design. (1955)
The “10 Most Challenged Books of 2007” reflect a range of themes, and consist of the following titles:
1) “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
2) The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
3) “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language
4) “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint
5) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism
6) “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
7) "TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
8) "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit
9) “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
10) "The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
Off the list this year, are two books by author Toni Morrison. "The Bluest Eye" and "Beloved," both challenged for sexual content and offensive language.
1) Robert Cormier
2) Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
3) Mark Twain
4) Toni Morrison
5) Philip Pullman
6) Kevin Henkes
7) Lois Lowry
8) Chris Crutcher
9) Lauren Myracle
10) Joann Sfar
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$20,000: What the St. Paul Public Libraries systems spends each year to buy DVDs
$1.6 million: The system's annual budget for all new materials
$22: Its cost per feature-film DVD
More than $22: Its cost per educational DVD
50 cents: Daily fee to rent DVDs from most Ramsey County libraries
Zero: Current cost to rent DVDs from Minneapolis or St. Paul
WANT AN allCIRC THAT CHARGES FOR DVDS? LAT CAN HELP
