San Bernardino County Library had been interested in expanding their self-service solutions for quite some time to meet patron needs and streamline service in their busy libraries. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for these solutions became even more vital, particularly in light of the health and economic impact of the virus.

When grant funding became available, San Bernardino County was able to secure funding for EnvisionWare’s X11 Series vending kiosks in each of their 35 locations. The X11’s are equipped with self-service software and hardware to enable patrons to release print jobs and pay for printouts. These self-service kiosks also allow a patron to checkout materials, pay fines and fees, and reserve a public computer without the need for staff assistance.

The grant funding also enabled the Library to address a growing patron need for scanning and faxing services by installing EnvisionWare’s Library Document Station™ in each building.  The Library Document Station enables patrons to scan and fax materials without needing staff assistance to handle the materials or process the scanning/faxing.

To better leverage their growing digital collection, San Bernardino County installed 10 Tablet Stations from EnvisionWare. The Tablet Stations, powered by Hublet, provide self-service access to tablets pre-loaded with educational materials, job resources, news and media, as well as games, books and magazines. Patrons simply scan their library card, grab a tablet and sit anywhere in the library at a safe distance from others. When finished, the user returns the tablet to the docking station and all of their information is wiped clean.

“It’s been an unprecedented and challenging time for everyone,” said Melanie Orosco, Regional Manager of Library Services. “These solutions provide peace of mind from a health and safety perspective and enable us to meet essential needs at a time when our communities need us the most.”