Cybernet and Coronado Public Library:
Cleaning Up the Floor Plan
The Coronado Public Library is a small library with a large collection and lots of patrons. Its tower PCs often got in the way of patrons navigating their way through the shelves, checkout counter, and reference desk. They needed a space saving PC that would free up floor space and increase efficiency. They turned to Cybernet for the big performance in a small space saving PC: the iOne-GX31.
The Customer
Coronado Public Library is located in Coronado, California. Its mission is to meet the informational and cultural needs of the community, and promote reading, lifelong learning and the pursuit of knowledge. The library has a large permanent collection, and provides Internet access, meeting rooms, and library programs for children, teens and adults.
The Business Challenge
Phyllis Belter is the head of Automation and Volunteers and has a number of responsibilities, including overseeing the library’s computing systems. Phyllis recalls that not so long ago, the library relied on bulky computer towers to control library operations. Due to space limitations, the towers had to be placed wherever there was available room. This meant putting them on the floor, where sooner or later an unwitting passerby would accidentally kick the defenseless machine. The shock generally knocked the computer into shutdown mode, creating a major headache for library staff and patrons alike.
Envisioning a computer that would leave the tiniest of footprints in the space-limited library, Phyllis discovered
Cybernet products in PC Magazine. The ultra sleek, powerhouse computers seemed to be the compact solution she was looking for. Brimming with enthusiasm, Phyllis quickly got the library staff interested.
The Cybernet SolutionFollowing up with a phone call to
Cybernet’s sales department, Phyllis was encouraged by the budget friendly pricing of their products. She ordered the
ZPC-GX31 model to give it a try. For about a month, the circulation department put the computer through all the paces — checkout, check-in, hold management and fine management. The head of circulation was pleased to report overwhelmingly positive feedback from all users. Inspired by the glowing feedback, Phyllis and the head of circulation decided to create a standard for the entire library:
Cybernet’s
All-in-One PC solution. The old, cumbersome towers would soon be ancient history.
Offering room to spare, the
Cybernet Zero-Footprint-PC easily connects to a server, barcode reader, small receipt printer, and an ordinary printer that form a network of library functions. The extensive range of operations is carried out by Innovative Interfaces library software, a powerful tool that keeps things running smoothly from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and during certain weekend hours.
Phyllis points out that since the initial purchase, the library has switched from the ZPC-GX31 model to the i-One-GX31. In the user-friendliness category, both scored extremely high marks. Executing the battery of library operations is simply a matter of switching on the unit and launching the Innovative Interfaces software. No other software is needed.
Key ResultsPhyllis and the entire library staff agree that both the
ZPC-GX31 and
i-One-GX31 have done an excellent job bringing order to a situation that clearly was starting to get out of hand. No longer are there worries about library operations coming to a frustrating halt because somebody’s foot mistakenly made contact with a floor-bound computer. Librarians and patrons alike need not sidestep cumbersome towers as they make their way to a bookshelf or the circulation desk. The multiple functions of a busy library are carried out with a new level of precision and efficiency. The credit goes to the insight of Phyllis and a pair of ultra sleek computing dynamos named
ZPC-GX31 and
i-One-GX31, two sophisticated machines that the library staff would agree are definitely worth checking out.
Gazing around the bookshelves, Phyllis Belter couldn’t be more pleased. No longer are the computer towers getting kicked and accidentally turned off. Logjams at the checkout desk were a thing of the past. There is much more space in which to move around and store items. It is hard to believe the amazing transformation was the result of a computer.
