Tablets to help with circulation services

From: Stephen Francoeur <stephen.francoeur_at_nyob>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:34:35 -0500
To: CODE4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
We're looking into ways that tablets might be used by library staff
assisting patrons in a long line at the circ desk. With a tablet, an
additional staff person could pick folks off the line who might have things
that can be handled on a properly outfitted tablet.

I am wondering if anyone has any examples of a library using the camera on
a tablet to scan barcodes on library materials (for check out or check in)
or if anyone has used one of those magnetic stripe readers that you can
attach to some tablets (such as the Square Register for the iPad which can
be used to process credit cards)? I'm sure it's been done with a netbook;
we're solely interested in doing this with a tablet.

We're trying to see if we can install the GUI for Ex Libris Aleph on a
tablet running Microsoft RT. If this might work on tablets running Android
or iOS, that would be interesting as well.

Any examples or thoughts about this would be most welcome.

Thanks!

Stephen Francoeur

User Experience Librarian

Newman Library

Room 516

Baruch College

151 E. 25th Street

New York, NY 10010



646.312.1620

Stephen.francoeur_at_baruch.cuny.edu

http://stephenfrancoeur.com
Received on Wed Jan 23 2013 - 12:35:43 EST