TOR‐IN and TOR‐OUT — a Swedish automated system for issuing and returning library books
| Pages | 30-32 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040622 |
| Published date | 01 January 1997 |
| Date | 01 January 1997 |
| Author | Maj‐Stina Petersson |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
TOR-IN and TOR-OUT
— a Swedish
automated system for
issuing and returning
library books
by Maj-Stina Petersson, Acting
Manager, Ronneby Public Library
This article describes
the
use
of
TOR-IN and
TOR-OUT
self-issue
and
return systems
in the
public library in
Ronneby,
Sweden,
as
a
means
of
improving working conditions and
diverting
staff
time towards more meaningful
tasks.
Ronneby is a small town in southern Sweden with
a population of around 30,000. Ten years ago, a
university college offering computer science as
one of
its
main subjects was opened. At the same
time a Swedish Silicon Valley called Soft Center
was established, and today about 50 companies
work there. In 1993 the local authority adopted a
new strategic document, Ronneby
2003,
with the
aim of transforming Ronneby from a traditional
industrial community to a modern IT-society.
One of the keynotes of the new strategy was its
democratic aspect and the public library was
expected to play a major role with this by provid-
ing the general public with access to the new
technology and the skills needed to use it. The
library underwent a radical transformation to
become the 'Library of the Future', including the
installation of extensive electronic resources. As
well as many PCs in a network, locally designed
applications, and access to the Internet, we planned
to equip the library with an automated system for
issuing and returning books using a robot. We
received an offer from Bibliotekstjdnst AB to test
their system called TOR.
This system had already been in use for six months
at the public library in Helsingborg so we visited
the library to see TOR in action. Our colleagues in
Helsingborg shared their experiences of TOR with
us and gave us many suggestions on what to do to
simplify a transition to the new system. After
careful consideration we decided to accept the
offer from Bibliotekstjdnst and the first version
was installed in February 1994. As far as I know
this was only the second installation of an auto-
mated system in Sweden, and we received funding
from the Institute for the Improvement of Working
Conditions as the new machines are designed to
reduce the risks of injuries due to lifting heavy
books.
Before we started with the first version in February
1994 we had to paste new labels on the back of the
book covers and link them with the labels inside
the books. We used a special programme and a
handscanner. We also programmed the robot to
sort the books according to subject placement in
the library. Reserved books, for example, are
placed in the first cassette. The eight cassettes are
installed on both sides of the line on which the
robot runs. The last cassette serves as a reserve
cassette where books are placed while one of the
other cassettes is changed. Books without a spe-
cific destination are also placed here.
TOR-IN is situated just inside the entrance to the
library. A special information panel requests
library users to place books in a slot. The books
land on a conveyor belt, the labels are scanned and
the loan is deleted from the register. The books
then pass through a magnetic frame which acti-
vates the anti-theft device, are picked up by an
automatic claw and finally placed in the appropri-
ate cassette. The user receives a receipt for the
books returned.
When a cassette is full a red lamp lights up. Staff
place a trolley under the cassette which is auto-
matically lowered onto the trolley. Once in place
the cassette can be tilted horizontally. The robot is
situated beside the lending desk but staff working
there have not been disturbed despite a slight
whirring noise when the robot is working.
TOR-IN can only be used for books up to 4.5cm
thick. This covers almost 98% of
all
books. Media
containing tapes, floppy disks, etc., which can be
damaged by exposure to magnetic fields, do not
pass through the magnetic frame. This is easily
arranged by supplying such media with a barcode
which ensures that they are removed from the
system before they reach the magnetic frame.
Computer literature with accompanying floppy
disks has special barcodes, for example. Should
someone, by mistake, place a video or a language
course on tape in TOR, the system will optically
30—VINE 105
To continue reading
Request your trial