SMITHFIELD – Can’t pick up your held library items during regular hours? Want to unlock your next read? Your troubles are over. The Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield (PLJCS) is excited to announce its latest initiative – 24/7 holds pickup by D-Tech International!
PLJCS understands that not everyone can adjust their time to pick up their materials when the library is open. So, we have decided to tackle this issue and provide an enhancement to how we can better service our patrons. By providing a self-service holdings locker system, patrons can place holds on their selections, have the items placed into a locker, and provide more flexibility to patrons for accessing their selections outside the library’s regular hours or even holidays.
How the holdings locker system works:
- Patrons will select their pick up library as Smithfield Locker via our online catalog.
- Patrons will receive a notification email or text when their items are ready for pickup at the Smithfield Locker.
- Patrons will have 24/7 access to the library’s lobby and holdings locker to access their awaiting holds.
- Walk up to the locker’s touchscreen and either scan your library card or type in your library card number.
- One of the 38 lockers will pop open to allow patrons access to retrieve their borrowed materials. Once the locker pops open, any held items for patrons will then check out to the patron’s account. A due date receipt will print for the patron.
Items will be held within the locker system for up to 3 days. If any items are not picked up after 3 days, they will be checked in and not put back on hold for you.
Patrons can access the holdings locker system, located inside the library’s lobby at 305 E. Market St. in downtown Smithfield, at any time their holds are ready.
The holdings locker system has been made possible by funding from the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
To get started using the 24/7 Holdings Locker, visit www.pljcs.org, or call 984-985-BOOK for assistance.
I am so glad they have this new system, we have used it three times already. Good to know they changed the hold time to 3 days as I did not realize that.