Vubis Sm@rt review shows libraries are moving forward
Vubis Sm@rt, the electronic library management system that Warwickshire County Council switched to in October has received a thumbs up from staff and customers at its review.
Implementing Vubis Sm@rt was an 18 month project that included training nearly 400 staff whilst continuing to provide a full service to library customers. The modern, innovative system supplied by the Libraries Division of Infor, replaced the Geac PLUS system that had been used by Warwickshire’s libraries for 20 years.
The new system fully integrates the day to day processes of a modern library service allowing staff to issue, return and reserve items; check stock availability; make electronic orders from book suppliers and to move stock quickly and easily around the county’s libraries. In addition there is an updated online catalogue, with a new look and feel, offering 24 hour access to the library’s resources; along with the facility to renew and reserve items online.
The Vubis Sm@rt system is paving the way for libraries to move forward, embracing technology to help provide a service to match modern needs. It will provide library managers with up to date information about trends in library borrowing. This will allow them to target staff and resources to provide the best customer service and efficiency, as it maps peaks and troughs in activity.
The introduction of the new system means that staff will be freed up from repetitive administrative tasks, allowing them to use their considerable expertise to improve the experience of visiting a library for all our customers.
Head of Libraries, Learning and Culture, Edwina Cordwell, said: “Vubis Smart is meeting our expectations and it might be the case that the best is yet to come as the system can provide the platform to allow us to bring in modern ways of working and transform our service.
Online services are playing a greater and greater role in our everyday lives so we envisage providing virtual library resources and enabling more to be done over the web, such as payments.
Libraries play a major role in each and every community and Vubis Smart will allow us to expand that role.”
The differences in working patterns are already starting to become apparent to staff. One of the most noticeable benefits has been the availability of information that can be used for the benefit of the service and its customers.
Those working at the desks have also begun to see the new system’s advantages. Libby Luscombe, a senior library assistant at Nuneaton Library, takes enquiries on availability of items in other libraries across the county.
She said: “The new system greatly speeds up searching for items at this library or others, both for staff and for the public. It’s good because you then have time to actually have eye contact with, and talk to, the customer and build a relationship rather than just looking at a screen waiting for the information. It has helped make the service we offer not only much more efficient but much more personal as well.”