Capita's software services division announces that Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) has selected its library management system (LMS), formerly owned by Talis, to provide a range of library services to the benefit of over 220,000 citizens. Capita announced its acquisition of Talis’ library division in March 2011.
The software will allow Barnsley MBC to provide improved library services for the citizens of Barnsley with intuitive library services such as reservations, catalogue search and payment of fines provided by phone, email, post and SMS. It will also help maintain a range of fresh and exciting stock including books, journals and DVDs, assist in developing borrowing methods such as mobile and self service and enable libraries in the region to extend their reach within the community by making their services more accessible.
Having purchased the staff interface, Alto, Barnsley MBC will also benefit from back office efficiencies through the use of a single integrated system. This system incorporates the circulation, acquisition and cataloguing of stock, provides integrated access to 30 million bibliographic records and circulation tools which ensure reservation requests are met quickly and efficiently.
Martin Farran, executive director of Adults and Communities at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: "It is crucial to us that we provide more varied access to library services in order to meet changing customer demand. In selecting Alto we were looking to provide an increasingly streamlined library service to appeal to existing and future users, while also generating efficiencies through the best use of modern technologies. We believe this solution will help us deliver an integrated service delivery which will also seamlessly work with other council systems. It will enable the sharing of financial data between it and the council’s finance system and provide a link-up to the council’s CRM system, so citizens’ data held by the library can be shared across the council.”
As part of this contract, Barnsley MBC will also implement a resource discovery tool which has an ‘Amazon-style’ single search interface, allowing users to easily find catalogue items as well as offering a high level of self-service. It will also deploy a solution to provide online payment of library fines that will also integrate with the Council’s finance system. Barnsley MBC’s citizens will be able to receive reminders via SMS messages, as well as renew items both online and via the automated telephony system provided as part of the LMS.
Martin added: “During the tendering process, this provider demonstrated a commitment to continuous and proactive improvement of its library management system. It also showed a desire to ensure that the library service in Barnsley would successfully achieve its goal of delivering an enhanced system for its customers, staff and partners.”
Jon Peart, associate director at Capita, commented: “We are delighted that Barnsley Libraries has selected Alto and our suite of products. Libraries still play a very important role in our communities and one way of ensuring their future is by constantly enhancing their services.”
Further information regarding Capita’s suite of library solutions can be found at: www.talis.com/library