Thank you for your comments about our self-check machine. I will ask my colleague Jo-Ann Irace, who is responsible for this service to answer your questions.
Christine Ménard said on February 9th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Hi Matt,
I am glad to hear that you find the self-check out unit helpful. We purchased this unit to avoid lines at the Access Services Desk. Staff at the desk is often busy assisting users with reserve requests and we didn't want users waiting in line to check out books. Unfortunately, if we moved the unit upstairs, it would not serve students with carrels on the lower level or the mezzanine level. It would also make it impossible to assist users when they have problems using the unit if it were upstairs. It is our intention to have two self check-out units in the new library; one on the fourth floor next to Special Collections and one next to the Access Services Desk.
Thanks for your comment,
Jo-Ann Irace, Head of Access Services
Jo-Ann Irace said on February 11th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
First off, I love the new self-checkout machine in Sawyer and have used it a few times already - even though it has had a few bugs (which a librarian helped me sort out right away) it is basically streamlined and very easy to use. However, I think that you should consider moving it off the first floor and putting it on the 2nd or 3rd floor of Sawyer. Right now, it's kind of redundant to put the machine right next to the circulation desk. I think it would be most useful if put into the stacks, so that when students working in their carrells want to take out a book, they can go and pull it and check it out right there without interrupting work too much by making a trip all the way back down to the first floor. I know a lot of students working on the 3rd floor who would really appreciate this! Again, thanks so much for giving the automated checkout a try - I hope you keep it and keep working out the bugs! -Matt
Matthew Lincoln said on February 6th, 2009 at 10:17 am