Library kiosk a first for Ballarat

THE Lucas community can now check out, return and manage library books without travelling to a physical library or needing the assistance of staff thanks to a new kiosk inside Lucas Community Hub.

The self-service terminal is the first of its kind in Ballarat and allows residents to scan their library card and borrow books.

There will be a rotating collection of items, and members can also request specific items which will be delivered to the kiosk by library staff.

“We’re really pleased to have it up and running now and it’s about bringing library services into areas that people live in where there’s some distance to the nearest library,” Ballarat Libraries community engagement and partnerships coordinator Julie Stevens said.

“We’ve had library services in outreach coming to Lucas for years and years and years so we’re really familiar with the Lucas community that comes and uses our outreach service here, so we know they types of materials they like.”

The library outreach program currently visits Lucas once a week, but the new kiosk means people can access library services between 9am and 4pm on weekdays.

The outreach program will continue at Lucas and Buninyong and there will always be staff on site to assist residents in using the kiosk.

“The staff are in the building all the time; any issues you can always come to the staff on site,” Ms Stevens said.

The introduction of kiosks was identified in the City of Ballarat Libraries and Learning Strategy 2022 to 2027. Further kiosk locations are being investigated.