The library of an international scientific center adapts its technical setup to forward-looking standards in a bid to offer patrons more personal service.

The Norwegian territory of Svalbard is almost as far north as the North Pole. The thermometer manages to creep slightly above zero for just three months of the year, when the island experiences the midnight sun. For three months of the year it is dark, 24 hours a day. This is the home of the University Center in Svalbard (UNIS) – virtually at the end of the world. The academic library has been working with the BiblioChip RFID system since the beginning of the year. The system is completely integrated in the BibSys-software.

UNIS, an internationally renowned scientific platform, offers 350 students from 25 countries a first-class education in a range of arctic sciences. The university's modern library supports its patrons in their work in an environment that meets global demands. Furthermore, a library is a very important institution in a place without any local bookshops. Since opening in 1995, patron frequency has been rising continuously. The library's collection has grown to encompass 10,000 items to date.

Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems installed a complete RFID system with self-check station, BiblioGates providing security and a BiblioPad for circulation at the counter. Berit Jakobsen, librarian at the northerly 78 degree latitude, is delighted with the concept, which is based on using RFID to make the library more user-friendly and able to offer improved service. The library is now well-equipped for the future - a future in which UNIS will be pursuing ambitious goals in the international scientific sphere.

For more information please visit www.unis.no/library