Overview

Serving a variety of libraries with diverse patron needs, PC Reservation stands above the legacy solutions to con‐ sider different types of patrons. Does every patron want one hour of Internet use, or do some just want to quickly check email? Are there some people that want to wait to get the next computer no matter what, and others that would prefer to make good use of wait time ‐ like step‐ ping out for coffee or checking in with the office? Our customers say yes, and they say that our system uniquely serves these needs. Thatʹs why over 1,000 of our PC Reservation sites are conversions from competitive solutions ‐ and we’ve converted from most or all of them.

The Solution

EnvisionWareʹs unique Intelligent Scheduling Architecture (ISA) gives patrons the ability to make choices about their use while enforcing your libraryʹs computer policy. The process involves a simple 3 or 4‐click wizard that guides a user in the selection of a resource. This isnʹt a traditional day‐timer approach or a simple queue, itʹs a sophisticated software application that provides the most intuitive patron sign up process in the industry for over 5,000 libraries.

PC Reservation® allows patrons to validate their library card directly against your existing patron database, an independent database, or an auto‐expiring unique guest ID system. The user then selects the AREA such as Childrenʹs, Internet, Word Processing, or ʺAny.ʺ PC Reservation automatically locates the next available PC match‐ ing the userʹs AREA choice and gives him or her a specific time to use a computer. If thereʹs a wait, the patron is free to browse your new books or grab a quick cup of coffee and then return at the assigned time to use the PC.

During operation, as users sign in and out of the system, the unique adaptive logic provides other options automatically. If a patron doesn’t want to wait the amount of

time required for a ʺfull session,ʺ the system can also pro‐ vide the choice for a shorter session for immediate use ‐ automatically.

EnvisionWareʹs exclusive distributed processing architecture ensures that no single device can create a system‐ wide outage, each component can act independently, and network bandwidth isnʹt significantly impacted by the new system. Although distributed, the system can easily be managed centrally from EnvisionWare Central Management‐enabled administrator PC’s. The input of over a thousand librarians is evident in the incredible customisation capability, all of which happens with the click of a mouse. Change settings easily to experience different behavior and then restore your default configuration with one click.

NZ Library Solutions

Ph: +64 9 489 7806 email: sales@nzlibrary.co.nz