LIBRARY LAUNCHES NEW BOOK KIOSKS

HIGH-TECH MACHINES AT ALLANDALE RECREATION CENTRE, EAST BAYFIELD COMMUNITY CENTRE TRACK BOOKS COMING AND GOING

You've got a new, hightech way to get your hands on a good book this summer.

The Barrie Public Library has installed two new kiosks filled with books for adults and young readers.

Think of them like vending machines, but instead of feeding it your pocket change, all you need is a library card. The machine takes care of the rest.

These kiosks were installed to make reading more accessible to Barrie residents.

"At the Barrie Public Library, we're really trying to find ways to provide our services in ways that are most convenient to our patrons," library president Lauren Jessop told Simcoe.com. "So, really making sure that library services are convenient, they're accessible and that they're available where people already are."

These new kiosks can be found at the Allandale Recreation Centre and the East Bayfield Community Centre.

Those locations weren't chosen at random.

"We were looking for locations in the city where there was already a city facility, so it made it easy for

us to already have that partnership in place with the City of Barrie," Jessop said. "At East Bayfield and Allandale, it's a little bit of

a distance from a branch, so (the kiosks) are accessible there."

"A rec centre is a great spot, where lots of families

and individuals are already hanging out," Jessop added. "So why not make it a one-stop shop for them, and be able to get to the library and the rec centre all in one?"

The machines are easy to use for library cardholders. All you need to do is scan the bar code on the back of your library card and key in your four-digit PIN.

"The door opens, and then you're able to select an item," Jessop said. "You could take it out, take a look at it and then put it back. And it's not until the door closes again, that the machine scans for any RFID tags that have been removed or any that have been added."

The machine allows you to put books back onto the shelves.

"You can also return an item into the kiosk," concluded Jessop.

The library plans to add more kiosks in the future, with the goal of bringing about an increase in library card memberships.

To get your hands on a library card, visit the Barrie Public Library website and fill out an application.