When Gwinnett County's libraries reopen next week, they'll have simplified hours, a new logo and some fancy new technology.
All 15 branches of the Gwinnett County Public Library, which closed May 9 and won't reopen until Monday, are being equipped with new self-checkout kiosks, among other upgrades.
"Our new Bibliotheca self-checkout kiosks will be capable of much more than checking out a book,” Michael Casey, GCPL's director of information technology, said in a news release. “Customers will be able to pay for their copies, print jobs and late fees, and purchase items like tote bags and flash drives directly on the machines. With updates to the software later this year, the kiosks will make recommendations based on the user's browsing history.”
Library staff will also "be roaming the branch floors with iPads and mobile computing stations," officials said. Workroom check-in stations and security gates at library entrances are among the upgrades as well.
Starting Monday, every GCPL branch will have the same schedule: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. In recent years, budget and staffing constraints had forced the library system to put staggered hours of operation in place at different branches.
The library is also replacing its "navy blue book stack logo" with a more modern one that, according to GCPL executive director Charles Pace, "represents the different forms of media and programming we offer, and supports our vision for the future of GCPL as a place to connect, learn, and grow."
The logo design was donated by Don Bolt, a senior designer at Duluth-based company Primerica.
"All of these changes, including the technology upgrades, hours, and logo, are being implemented to best support the needs of the entire Gwinnett community," Pace said in a news release.
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