Noosa has become the sixth Queensland public library in just over 12 months to opt for the Spydus software package from Civica. Other libraries are: Gatton, Livingstone, Warwick, Caboolture and Toowoomba.

Noosa Library chose Spydus after assessing four competing products. The evaluation team sought software with a good track record of operation in Australian libraries, a package that could demonstrate the full range of automation and functionality required by library staff, and one whose development strategies were in line with the direction of libraries in Queensland.

“Spydus proved to be the most complete match for our needs and, very significantly, offered the levels of support we required,” said Ms Kerri Contini, Manager of Library Services. “We are also pleased that Noosa Library has a real opportunity to contribute to the product’s future development.”

Continuing support and commitment to future development were important to Noosa Library because its existing text-based and menu-driven library software is being progressively decommissioned.

Rather than go through a formal tender, the four competing vendors were asked to complete a quotation document.

“We had narrowed down the field to four products and we knew that essentially they could all meet our functional needs,” said Kerri. “We were looking for a descriptive analysis of each product’s direction and a clear demonstration of a commitment to support the library and to allow us to contribute to product development.”

Each vendor was given two days in which to demonstrate its product. Noosa’s Library Services team asked each to demonstrate the same functionality across all modules, and allotted scores for all functions. Relevant staff gave the selection panel feedback on whether the functions would work in the most effective manner, while ease of use and integration were also important facets.

Noosa expects to go live on Spydus in March 2003, in a fairly relaxed implementation schedule designed to ensure minimal stress levels for library staff.

“Spydus will introduce most of our staff to a different world, since they have only ever used menu-driven, text-based systems,” says Kerri Contini. “The major focus for us will be the online public access catalogue (OPAC) with its Windows/GUI interface and ability to reach into people’s homes via the Web. That will represent a key service and productivity improvement.”

Kerri is also looking forward to enhanced functionality in the Spydus OPAC, which will allow customers to look at their own records, carry out research and develop profiles.

She says: “We hope this will reduce some of the workload on our Circulation and Reference counters. We are very pleased with Spydus’ OPAC in terms of ease of use for the public, and it will allow us to create a Web page that really suits us. We will allow borrowers to check what’s online and to make reservations.”

Another key benefit is the Spydus Circulation module.  Noosa relies on a number of casual staff in this area, so it was essential to have functions that allow them to access information on a single screen and to have the processes automated.

“Spydus does this automatically,” says Kerri. “You don’t have to stand and think about where the information or function is that you need to access.”

She says the library was also keen to have a more automated system in Technical Services, where some staff still count statistics on sheets of paper.

“Our people have to do a lot of repetitive work because the existing system does not offer enough automatic functionality, and not a lot of integration. You really need to be a library technician to undertake cataloguing.  I wanted a cataloguing system that was easy to use for some of our less experienced assistants. We are confident Spydus will allow us to do that.  It will really free up resources in Technical Services, so the burden will no longer fall on one or two people.”

Noosa Library also anticipates greater overall automation, to relieve staff in labour-intensive areas like Home Services, where all the selections are made manually. Spydus will create reader profiles and develop picking lists, leaving staff only to pull books from the shelves and send them out on delivery.

According to Kerri Contini, the Spydus booking module delivered another pleasant surprise.

She says: “It is the only one we saw that really understands the fundamentals of public access. Our circulation staff are ecstatic that the public will be able to look after their own bookings.”

“Across all areas we are very pleased with Spydus – it is a complete package that really meets our needs right across the board.”

Noosa Library has 30,000 members out of a population of 44,000 – it has one of the top 10 per capita issues in Queensland. Loans in 2001-02 totalled 601,844, with around 202,000 library visits. The library’s collection totals 82,500 items, while 11,000 a year are purchased.

Initially there will be six OPAC terminals in the library building and one in the Mobile Library. Spydus will run under the Windows 2000 operating system.

For further information please contact:

Chris Thewlis
Sales Manager, Library Solutions
Civica Pty Limited
Tel. +61 3 9411 3300