The district library in Ober-Erlenbach wants to become a pioneer in this country. And with modern technology: The “Open Library” concept is being tested in the Bad Homburg district. This means that, provided that they have a reading card, users can help themselves at the shelves and then independently book the selected books to their reading account at a terminal. Librarians no longer need to be present in such an open library. Readers are also on their own when it comes to returns. At the return station, they place the volumes on a conveyor belt, on which they disappear inside an apparatus. In order to prevent destruction and theft, the library rooms are monitored with cameras. A chip is attached to each book. If it is carried out of the library without posting it to a loan account,this is registered by an antenna at the exit and a loud alarm tone sounds.
Jan Schiefenhövel
Freelance author in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
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The innovation will be introduced with the move of the district library.
So far it was housed in the old town hall of Ober-Erlenbach.
It can now be found in the Oberhof, where it is open from Tuesday to Tuesday to Thursday from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The library has a lot of space under the open roof.
Opening times without staff
The Oberhof on Burgholzhäuser Straße was once an agricultural property, now the historic building ensemble with a beautiful inner courtyard is to develop into the meeting point of the district. The youth center has moved in next to the district library and has direct access to the library on the upper floor. According to the plans of the city administration, galleries and a farm shop will follow. In addition to the wings of the estate, new buildings with apartments for multi-generational living have already been built.
In the Oberhof, the district library has significantly more space than at the previous location, as Klaus Strohmenger says, head of the Bad Homburg city library.
The “Open Library” system enables longer opening times because staff is not always needed.
In the beginning, however, the readers are not left alone in a transition phase.
The opening times without staff are to be extended with the growing experience of the users.
According to Strohmenger, the concept of self-service has already proven itself in Denmark for 20 years, especially in small communities there is good social control.
Libraries without staff are also available in northern German cities, and there is no vandalism there.
In Ober-Erlenbach, readers from the age of 16 are allowed to use the library according to the new principle. The library card opens the entrance door. Lighting and heating in the rooms are controlled automatically. If the concept proves itself, the library in the Oberhof could theoretically be available to readers 24 hours a day in the future.