New technology for Wokingham's libraries
Library users and staff at Lower Earley Library in the Wokingham borough are among the first people in the country to be able to take advantage of a state-of-the-art automated library service launched across the borough on Thursday May 21.
The Wokingham new service is based on the first UK implementation of an automated public library management system called Spydus, provided by Civica, one of the UK’s leading providers of consulting, software and services for the public sector.
The event, at Lower Earley Library in Chalfont Way, featured demonstrations of new library services and the launch was marked with a day of children’s activities including a story time session at which Cllr Dianne King, Wokingham Borough Council executive member for community development, read a story to the children. Visitors were also entertained by a magician, craft session and a baby bounce and rhyme session. More than 50 children attended to event.
Wokingham Borough Council is the lead member of a group of six local authorities, the South East Library Management System - SELMS consortium, which is introducing services based on the Spydus product over the next six months as the first stage of a five year, £1.5 million initiative with Civica. The other authorities involved are the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Brighton and Hove City Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Milton Keynes Council and West Berkshire Council.
Automated library management systems are critical to achieving improved customer service and back office administration. In addition, the consortium model enables local authorities to share resources effectively and make significant efficiency savings. It will also offer library users a greater choice of books and DVDs, and provide improved search facilities and will shortly allow residents to join libraries online.
Civica and Wokingham Borough Council see SELMS as a model for UK library services, based on public library authority-service provider partnerships that deliver the latest in management and technology platforms. Civica’s Spydus product automates traditional library administrative functions, extends library access to online and wireless devices, and accommodates new tracking technologies such as radio frequency identification technology (RFID).
The Wokingham new service is based on the first UK implementation of an automated public library management system called Spydus, provided by Civica, one of the UK’s leading providers of consulting, software and services for the public sector.
The event, at Lower Earley Library in Chalfont Way, featured demonstrations of new library services and the launch was marked with a day of children’s activities including a story time session at which Cllr Dianne King, Wokingham Borough Council executive member for community development, read a story to the children. Visitors were also entertained by a magician, craft session and a baby bounce and rhyme session. More than 50 children attended to event.
Wokingham Borough Council is the lead member of a group of six local authorities, the South East Library Management System - SELMS consortium, which is introducing services based on the Spydus product over the next six months as the first stage of a five year, £1.5 million initiative with Civica. The other authorities involved are the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Brighton and Hove City Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Milton Keynes Council and West Berkshire Council.
Automated library management systems are critical to achieving improved customer service and back office administration. In addition, the consortium model enables local authorities to share resources effectively and make significant efficiency savings. It will also offer library users a greater choice of books and DVDs, and provide improved search facilities and will shortly allow residents to join libraries online.
Civica and Wokingham Borough Council see SELMS as a model for UK library services, based on public library authority-service provider partnerships that deliver the latest in management and technology platforms. Civica’s Spydus product automates traditional library administrative functions, extends library access to online and wireless devices, and accommodates new tracking technologies such as radio frequency identification technology (RFID).
Wokingham Borough Council
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