The newly built Fayetteville Public Library, which opened in October 2004, owes the prestigious award of Library of the Year 2005 to the ambitious “Five Steps to Excellence” strategy of Director Louise Schaper. And the technology factor is a key aspect of the “five steps”: The library has installed a BiblioChip RFID system with automatic check-out and return, including a sorting system, which has significantly increased the efficiency of the library. The Gaylord Information Systems, Polaris, is completely integrated in the BiblioChip RFID system and enables fast and efficient media management. What is more, it has generated a high degree of satisfaction among both patrons and staff. “Be technologically innovative!” is Louise Schaper’s recommendation to her colleagues.

Statistics from the years 1997 to 2005 reflect the success of the library: Lending has multiplied by more than two and half times. Library visits and new registration have tripled. Of the 58,000 inhabitants, a total of 48,000 now hold a library card.
Right from the outset, the popularity of the new library was based on close cooperation with patrons, the local community and its citizens. In this way, local needs were taken account of early on in the planning and implementation process.

The title Library of the Year, awarded by the US publishing house Thomson Gale and the popular Library Journal, honors especially those libraries that have lived their philosophy by performing outstanding work in serving their local community.
And it can be safely assumed that the Fayetteville Public Library was able to carry out the entire conversion of its media to RFID with the voluntary help of community members.

In the USA, more than 30 libraries are already using the BiblioChip system.

To read the full report in Library Journal, issue 11 of June 15, 2005 see www.libraryjournal.com.

For more information on Fayetteville Public Library see www.faylib.org