Telelift Solutions for libraries - Optimal design of the return and sorting processes
Since 1964, Telelift GmbH develops and markets intralogistics solutions for applications in administration, healthcare, libraries and industrial processes. Telelift has a long history of successfully solving challenges of transporting light goods within confined spaces while ensuring full integration into new and existing building structures. Telelift has installed more
than 1,400 systems in more than 40 countries, and is certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015.
In an interview, Hartmut Tröger, Director Sales & Service, provides information about the development of Telelift in the Library market.
Mr. Tröger, Telelift has been very successful in the library market for years. How has the Telelift library solution developed?
Since the 1970s and 1980s Telelift equipped libraries with book transport systems. At that time, books and other media were mostly transported on request by manual loading and unloading from closed magazines to borrowing or to reading rooms and back again.
The main benefit of the system was the minimized availability times of media. Over time, numerous library projects have been implemented in national libraries as well as in public and academic libraries. In the meantime, the library-specific requirements have changed so that the Telelift solution has been adapted accordingly.
How changed library requirements?
As an important institution of municipal cultural institutions, public libraries are challenged to expand their digital
offerings and increase the quality of stay in order to be attractive to their users and target groups. Libraries are
increasingly becoming a place of encounter and learning, and the role of the library as a so-called “third place” is gaining in importance.
Academic libraries are also confronted with the ever increasing need for user workstations within the library building.
Additional service offers are becoming increasingly important for all libraries. Many libraries already offer extended opening hours, right up to 24/7 accessible houses.
As a result, the logistical requirements of the libraries have also changed. The classification of the media inventory is increasingly coming to the fore in order to optimally position media and make them available in a user-friendly manner, supported by modern auto-ident technologies and self-booking solutions.
How did Telelift respond to these demands?
In order to meet the changing requirements of libraries for logistical processes in an optimal and future-oriented way, Telelift started a strategic cooperation with the company bibliotheca in 2017. An integrated and flexible library solution for the return, sorting and transport of media over several floors was developed. At the same time, the Telelift trolleys UniSortCar and UniSafeCar were developed.
The integrated library solution offers significant advantages for libraries. Library staff are relieved of manual sorting and transport activities and gain time for other tasks. With the automated solution, media are efficiently sorted according to individually definable sorting criteria and are available for a new loan more quickly. In addition, the integrated solution enables the user-friendly placement of return machines as well as a high degree of flexibility in the number and arrangement of the sorting destinations distributed across rooms, floors and buildings.
Hartmut Tröger - Director Sales & Service, Telelift GmbH
How often has the new integrated library solution been used now?
Three libraries are already using the integrated library solution: The National Library in Indonesia, the Chemnitz University Library and the Busan Metropolitan Library. Further projects are in the implementation phase.
How do you see the further development of Telelift on the library market?
We are noticing an increasing interest in the integrated solution among libraries as well as specialist planners and
architects who are involved in new library construction or modernization projects. Returns, transport and sorting of physical media remains an important topic despite increasing digitalization. The modularity and flexibility of the system allow adaptation to the needs of a wide variety of libraries. In addition, Telelift offers all libraries suitable service concepts to ensure a high level of reliability and availability even in 24/7 operation.
The integrated Telelift library solution supports the optimization of intralogistics today and in the future with significant advantages for library users and staff.