Resourceful librarians have adapted quickly to continue offering services to their communities during the pandemic. This important skill really kicked in for Adina Dunn of the Dublin Public Library. Even before forced closures, the library started offering curbside services in early March. To follow recommended guidelines, they first installed a Ring® doorbell to notify staff of a patron’s arrival, however the signal was not always strong enough for the device to perform reliably.
Our patrons love how easy this is to use.
Adina Dunn, Library Director, Dublin Public Library
Then a package arrived with two free-standing, tablet kiosks, part of a grant the library received earlier in the year. Originally intended to add public access catalog stations inside, Ms. Dunn quickly found her solution in a temporary repurposing of them. By placing the tablet in the new kiosk outside the entrance, patrons use FaceTime to connect with another tablet inside the library to communicate with staff. Instructions on the kiosk make it simple and easy to use. All this happens over Wi-Fi; no data plan required. And should a patron get carried away and try to access the internet while standing outside, they are thwarted by a software feature that locks the device on the FaceTime app. A clever, simple, no-cost solution. The folks in Dublin are in good hands.