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I'm proud to share the news that The Roanoke Public Library has placed second in the International Council of Shopping Centers international competition with our 3MTM e-Branch Library at The Valley View Mall. The award is presented for both functionality and design of Kiosks in Malls throughout the world. High-tech, yet warmly inviting, the Roanoke e-Branch Library provides Internet access to the area's public library system, book lockers for pick-up and a book drop for returns. The e-Branch Library, which was opened in October of 2007, also won the annual Virginia Public Library Directors Association “Outstanding Service Innovation Award."
I believe people need more convenient options. After a year-long study of the city's library system -- it was determined the role of the library has changed. The library needed to extend its services somewhere we weren't providing service now. The e-Branch allows people to pick up and drop off their books, CDs or DVDs while shopping at the mall, all without visiting a library building.
The kiosk delivers voice and data from the 17-inch high resolution touch screen. Pre-programmed telephone dialing software allows the user to connect directly to the Reference and City help desks. A customer can pick up the attached phone to speak immediately with a Reference librarian at the library and receive documents from the library reference desk directly to the kiosk via e-FAX. Books can be reserved from the kiosk via an interface with the library’s Sirsi system. Included on the Valley View e-Branch Library kiosk is information on local shopping, movie times, government information and specially designed sites in Vietnamese and Spanish.
The Roanoke Public e-Branch Library is the first of its kind in the nation, and has been featured on ABC television as the most innovative method of library service available. It is the first fully unattended branch library. The e-Branch Library is the first "ATM" machine for information where customers can gain access to electronic databases, government information, the library's catalog and much more.
Using the e-Branch Library is simple, and we in the library feel it will encourage more people to see what the library has to offer. We're looking forward to opening our second e-Branch Library in June in the Cities Parks and Recreation Building in Garden City.
Since its Grand Opening, our e-Branch Library in the mall has recorded over 20,500 individual sessions.
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