[Publib] Self Check out promotion

[Diedre Conkling]

I think that it might not be all that surprising that people go to circulation staff instead of the self-checkout.  I have seen this in the local grocery store and other places with self-checkout so it make sense that the same thing would happen in the library.

Our local libraries do not have self checkout at this time so I don't have personal experience in libraries, though I have kept up with learning about the technology.

I enjoy the self-checkout in stores, partly because it is under used.  It is usually quicker to use because I can get right in and out.  There is also a bit of perceived anonymity, though not real.  

I thought that it might take jobs and then I watched them put the self-checkout in at our local store.  They took out two regular check out stands and put in 4 self-checkout stands.  They never fully staffed all of the checkout stands anyway.  And there is one person watching the 4 self-checkout stands.  There was no reduction in staffing and actually made more check out stands available.

Unlike Karen, I am not a fan of home delivery because I am seldom home.  The stuff is left on my porch with no guarantee that no one else will take it off my porch before I get home.  The delivery people try to hide them a bit, which I appreciate, but they are still out there.  If it is something fairly expensive I actually have it delivered to work.  This would not work in most places of work but  with our small office it is not a problem.  When staff members have ordered personal computers and other expensive items I have encouraged them to do the same thing.

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Diedre Conkling
     
  Lincoln County Library District
  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
  Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
  http://lcld.library-blogs.net/
  Work:  diedre at beachbooks.org
  Home:  diedrec at charter.net