Case Story: University of St Andrews
St Andrews Leading Technology Innovation in the Main Library
“Lyngsoe Libraries have been great to work with and an important partner in helping us become a smarter, more sustainable library. Alongside making students’ lives easier, their solution has also seen us being able to free up considerable staff time.”
Emma Wisher, Assistant Director (Academic Engagement and Student Experience) and Deputy Director
About the Library
The University of St Andrews Library is a vital hub for students, located in the heart of St Andrews. It offers extensive resources, including over one million volumes, 400,000 e-books, numerous academic journals, and databases. Students can study in various settings, from individual areas to group study rooms and cafes. The library also provides expert support from academic liaison librarians, self-service machines for easy book checkouts, and orientation tours. Additionally, the University Library’s Special Collections feature rare books, manuscripts, and archives dating back to the 15th century. Other libraries, such as the JF Allen Library and St Mary’s College Library, offer specialized collections and study spaces.
The Challenge
Need for Better Workflows and Turnaround Times
As part of the recent redevelopment of the Main Library at the University of St Andrews, student facing teams were keen to engage with a provider that would help them improve their workflows and reduce turnaround times for books and other library materials. As a world leading educational institute there was a motivation to upgrade their traditional library shelving units to something more in keeping with a modern, innovative, technology rich environment.
Working with the Lyngsoe Libraries team, the Lyngsoe Intelligent Hold™ Shelves was quickly identified as being the ideal solution. The intelligent shelf system uses advanced RFID technology, offering a paperless experience for students whilst reducing manual tasks for library staff.
Improving Processes for the Benefit of All
The old process prior to the implementation of the Lyngsoe Intelligent Hold™ Shelves, saw items returned through a returns machine and placed in to an ‘exceptions’ bin which contained a mixture of all items. This included items to be returned to shelves, items to be moved to other sites, ‘problem’ items such as faulty/no RFID tag materials and damaged books. All items in this bin were then
processed manually by the User Services team. In addition, paper slips specific to the individual student were handwritten or printed to go inside requested items which were then placed in alphabetical order on a hold shelf.
The new improved process, which works with additional sorting bins added to their existing sorter, still sees items handed back through a returns machine. However, the sorting is split between two bins to create a more efficient sorting process. One bin is for reserved items, which go straight to the collection shelf, and another bin is for items to be checked for damage, faulty RFID or to be removed from circulation.
The Outcome
The Immediate Benefits
The streamlined process has seen time spent processing holds greatly reduced, which means the library are offering a much faster turnaround time for users. They’re also able to process returned holds across the full range of their opening hours, rather than only during core hours when specific team members are on site. Previously, if an item was returned after 22.00, a user would need to wait until after 09.00 the next day for the item to be available for collection. Now, if the user is around, they can collect an item returned that evening up until closing time (02.00).
Library staff are also saving time by no longer needing to manually prepare paper slips, freeing them up to add value in other areas such as offering a roaming enquiry service. In addition to the time saving element, there have been improvements made in terms of privacy, as the names of the individuals requesting the books are no longer on display and removal of the paper slips brings with it sustainability benefits too. All these benefits align to the university’s values, the student population’s concerns and the wider university strategy.
Aesthetically, the shelves look great and fit in well with the overall design of the entrance floor of the library following the libraries recent redevelopment works.
How Have the Students Taken to the Updated Shelving System?
The shelves are easy to navigate once students are aware they need to use the console to identify and check out items on the hold shelves. The university supports this process by inducting new students to all elements of the library. Posters are also displayed throughout the library informing existing students of the new technology and how straightforward it is to reserve and collect materials.
The Lyngsoe Intelligent Hold™ Shelves have received great feedback to date from staff members and students alike. For students, it provides a quick, straightforward mechanism to collect requested items, whilst protecting their identity. For staff, it reduces their administrative tasks, and in turn offers more student engagement opportunities.
Benefits
- Reduced time spent processing holds
- Faster turnaround times for users
- Increased privacy for students
- Improvement in sustainability with removal of paper slips
- Reduced manual and administrative tasks for staff
- Increased staff’s time for student engagement opportunities
