Library-To-Go kiosk coming to Bonsall

The Bonsall Union School District approved a 24/7 Library-To-Go kiosk at the Bonsall Community Center.

The BUSD board’s 5-0 vote April 15 authorized an agreement with the County of San Diego for a County Library kiosk on the property which also includes Bonsall Elementary School.

“I just think it’s a great use for the community center,” said BUSD superintendent Justin Cunningham.

The lease is for a five-year period. The county will pay the Bonsall school district $1 rent for the entire 60-month term, and the county will also pay $100 monthly to cover the cost of electrical usage at the site.

In September 2012, the Board of Supervisors approved the sole-source procurement of a kiosk and associated software for a 24/7 Library-To-Go pilot project at the County Operations Center. County Library director Jose Aponte expects a total of between four and 10 kiosks throughout the county within the next decade based on community input and feasibility studies. In addition to being in small communities where a staffed library would not be financially feasible, the kiosks may also be placed at commuter rail or light rail hubs.

“The 24/7 is like the library’s counterpart to the Redbox. We afford people access 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the library’s variety of resources,” Aponte said.

The County Library system has approximately 1.5 million books, compact discs, digital video discs, and other materials. Approximately 400 items will be available in each kiosk, although a library patron making reservations from home, either by telephone or over the Internet, can reserve material either at a branch library or at a 24/7 Library-To-Go kiosk and the material would be placed at the branch library or in the kiosk for pickup a few days later.

“People will be able to reserve materials,” Aponte said. “It’s part of this whole amazonization of the library world. You look for a resource online.”

Patrons can also check circulation materials and make reservations from the kiosks. The kiosks will also have library program information, and patrons can register for a library card at the kiosks. Materials checked out from a branch library may be returned to a kiosk while materials checked out from a kiosk can be returned to a branch library. Users may also pay fines for overdue material at the kiosks, which will accept payment by credit card.

“I think it’s a great application of technology,” Cunningham said. “It’s great to have technology be able to bring the libraries out to the rural communities.”

The County Operations Center kiosk has been serving library patrons for approximately six months. The Bonsall Community Center kiosk will be the County Library system’s second 24/7 Library-To-Go.

“It’s important for us to find library services outside of our current parameters,” Aponte said.

“I thought it was a good opportunity to serve the community,” Cunningham said.

The passage of the Bonsall unification measure in the November 2012 election will turn the K-8 Bonsall Union School District into the K-12 Bonsall Unified School District as of July 1, 2014, although a transitional unified district with the same board as the elementary school district was created in February 2013 to handle transitional matters. Because Bonsall Elementary School is on the same premises as the Bonsall Community Center, the approval occurred during the Bonsall Union School District meeting although the Bonsall Unified School District will take over the lease arrangements.

County Library will be responsible for the kiosk’s day-to-day operations; staff from the Fallbrook branch will handle shelving functions twice each weekday. County Library will also be responsible for ongoing maintenance and any

needed repairs.

“We invite the community to be part of this next step in library services,” Aponte said.

The 24/7 Library-To-Go kiosk in Bonsall is expected to be operational in May. “Look forward to the ribbon cutting,” Aponte said.