LIBRARIES across the Capital are set to become self-service as part of a range of measures to encourage more people to borrow books.
Council bosses hope the new technology will form part of a programme of upgrades, including better computer facilities and a possible £15 million refurbishment of the Central Library on George IV Bridge.
The overhaul is designed to help free up ti
me for the city's librarians, allowing them to provide a better service for those using the libraries.
A council spokesman said: "The self-service system will be similar to those found at supermarket checkouts and will allow customers to borrow books by scanning them in and out themselves. The new system will free up library staff to provide more specialist advice to customers.
"Library users will also be able to pay hire charges for CDs and DVDs, check and renew loans and pay overdue charges.
"There will always be an appropriate level of staffing in libraries to provide an excellent service to customers. Any staff freed up by the implementation of self-service would be placed across an expanded, more customer-focussed library service for the city – for instance, at the new libraries proposed for Drumbrae and South Edinburgh."
The self-service system will go on trial at libraries in Newington, Blackhall and McDonald Road.
It will also be included as part of the refurbishment works being carried out at libraries in Morningside and Stockbridge.
Elaine Fulton, of the Scottish Library Information Council, welcomed the new technology, saying it was right that libraries moved with the times.
She said: "It's only normal for companies and businesses to modernise and libraries are no different. Self-service machines will get librarians away from just stamping out books, which doesn't really help anybody.
"Self-service facilities are common in banks and supermarkets and in libraries they can be used to provide a better service all round."
There are 25 community libraries and four mobile libraries in Edinburgh.
However, the report – which will go before members of the culture and leisure committee on Tuesday – highlights problems with declining numbers of books being borrowed and customer pressure to extend opening hours in some areas of the city.
There are proposals to breathe new life into Central Library by refurbishing and extending its premises.
It is estimated that the cost of such a project is likely to be more than £15m.
There are also plans to provide a "cloud" of wireless internet "hotspots" covering the city, which could be accessed from Edinburgh's libraries. Proposals for a "virtual library" would allow users to browse online catalogues and reserve books.
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