Self-service solutions seem to be available everywhere these days. You can find eye exam kiosks in convenient locations such as chemists, some parts of town are using kiosks to enable bike sharing, and even some bars and nightclubs are using kiosks to determine if late-night revellers have had one to many to drive home.

One of the fastest growing verticals for self-service screens has been libraries. Many are installing kiosks to help streamline a variety of processes – in the hopes of reducing costs and improving the customer experience. Customers may use the kiosks to place holds on books, to pay fines, and to check out books. Some locations are even closing smaller libraries and replacing them with vending kiosks that actually dispense books. The face of the traditional library is changing, and its long-term viability may be at stake.

For those who continue to utilize the library, there’s great news! Thanks to technology investments, it’s becoming much easier – the self-service kiosks make the trip more convenient than ever. And, thanks to the kiosks enabling less complex tasks, librarians will have more time to spend with customers who need specialized services.