School may not look much like it did few years back. With the increasing advancement of cutting-edge technologies such as cloud, mobile, digital and analytics has transformed the way libraries offer many services. School libraries are making headway, despite the rising challenges and expectations of today’s students.
Schools Library Management Systems are web and mobile-based applications that allow higher education institutions to deliver content and resources to students, faculty and staff. The cloud-based library system provides easy ways for librarians to create and store their library collections. It enables students and staff to communicate and collaborate through multiple channels. These systems can be used in college libraries to augment classroom teaching.
5 Reasons Why You Should Use A Library Management System
A library management system is important to a library in the following ways;
1. It increases efficiency
A library management system (LMS or ILS, integrated library system) enhances the efficiency of the librarians and library users. A good library management system enables librarians to easily catalog books and keep proper records of books issued, reissued, and those not returned. On the other hand, library users can easily check the availability of any book that they need.
2. It reduces the cost of managing a library
A library management system reduces the cost of management. The system eliminates the need to employ many workers and keep different manual files thereby reducing the cost. Additionally, one librarian can accomplish what more than what other several others can achieve at a given time. One computer can also store a lot of data eliminating the need for many manual files.
3. It saves time
Time is of the essence for both librarians and patrons. The librarian can easily record and go through the history of individual library users. On the other hand, the library users can know the location and availability of a particular book faster than before. Both the librarian and the student can accomplish more with less time.
4. It increases the productivity of library workers
Automating your day to day processes will increase the productivity. An LMS ensures that the librarian spend their time doing what is important. Due to the growing ease of doing their work, librarians can engage in other important activities in the library without the library incurring any additional cost.
5. It enhances the presentation of the library
A library should be as much about the looks as it is about the books. A library with a good management system looks tidy and attractive. The librarians can arrange the available books in good order, while the students can locate them easily. It, therefore, increases the comfort and enjoyment of the librarians and the library users.
Here are the ten benefits of integrating cloud-based library management system in your institution:
1. Simple & Easy to Use
The Library Management Software is simple, user-friendly, and can be easily integrated with your existing system. The library management system provides online and offline storage, automated backups, and easy upgrades to simplify and enhance learning process.
2. Increased Library Engagement
Avoid frustration and tediousness by providing students with 24/7 access to library resources from anywhere, anytime. Library Management Software allows librarian to maintain all types of books, eBooks, journals, photos, videos, and create events.
3. Efficient Cloud Data Management
Automate, simplify and deploy library database seamlessly to make it easy for your institution to benefit from secure cloud services. Improve efficiency with the automation of various library tasks including acquisition, cataloging, serials management, circulation and reference.
4. Highly Secure, Scalable & Reliable
College libraries benefit from scalable infrastructure, role-based secure access, high performance and reliable to ensure seamless access to library database.
5. Mobile Access
The library management system provides mobile access to search the library catalog, schedules, books and resources from anywhere, at any given time via smartphones and tablets.
6. Dynamic Reports
Maximize the performance of libraries with dynamic reports, charts and graphs to review and track the progress for better decision-making.
7. Error-free
The automated library software is user-friendly, powerful and developed for easy entry of data, makes library operations free from errors.
8. Innovation
Students can search, write articles, upload photos and videos, manage email, send messages, but also help them to keep up with the librarian and other students via chat, discussion forums, and social media.
9. Fully Customizable
The library automation system is fully customizable and adaptable to the needs of educational institutions to provide fast, reliable data.
10. Cost-effective
Embracing sophisticated technologies is cost-effective and a viable choice for education institutions. Using cloud, mobile and digital libraries eliminates paper-based processes and maintenance overheads, improves productivity, reduces operation costs and saves time.