Automating manual processes at Cockburn Libraries

Business Issue

Library branches across the City of Cockburn, Western Australia had developed a manual process of gathering visitor statistics to meet their reporting obligations for council and the West Australian State library. This process was very hands-on for the staff.

Each day at closure of the library, staff would be required to record the statistics from the security gate counter software (which incorporates people counting technology) into a monthly logbook. At the end of each month specific staff from each branch would collect the data and input it into the recording and reporting system.

Solution

Following a review of their people counting process and with a view to reduce staff involvement and time spent recording people count statistics the City of Cockburn installed the Vector 4D people counters from Infrared Integrated Systems and integrated these with a cloud based reporting platform (IRSCount) from Intelligent RFID Solutions across all three of their library branches.

The Vector 4D people counter is a world leading overhead people counter employing infrared time of flight technology. The counters allow hyper accurate detection and counting of people into an out of the library at an accuracy of 99.5%. The time of flight technology allows detection and separate counting of both adults and children further enhancing the functionality for library staff.

The cloud based IRSCount software supplied by Intelligent RFID Solution allows for automated collection and analysis of people counting data. Relevant library staff can have data supplied on demand or sent in a report format to nominated email addresses as a scheduled service.

In addition IRSCount provides real time visitation and occupancy data directly to library staff allowing them to monitor library occupancy to ensure compliance with government requirements.

Following installation of people counting sensors across all libraries within the City of Cockburn the manual process of collection visitation has been completely removed. The visitor statistics are now emailed directly to one specific staff member resulting in less tasks at closing time and less staff involved in compiling statistics.

Business Benefits

Removing inaccuracy from our visitor statistics

Previously the people count statistics were subject to error due to inaccuracies inherent within the older security gate technology.

At one library site, because the gates are situated within the library and past the point where items are returned, counts would miss all of the statistics for visitors only returning items or just using our water fountain.

IRS Count allows the capture all of these visits, thus increasing our numbers while also making them more accurate.

Interpreting the statistics

Adrian Chester, library technology coordinator at the City of Cockburn says:

The analytics portal allows us to easily identify trends, filter data by branches, and improve our decision making based on easy to read information. Density statistics have allowed us to visualise the busy times during given days and to staff accordingly. Real-time data reporting means that at any point of the day we can see how many visitors we have.

- Adrian Chester, Library Technology Coordinator at the City of Cockburn

Training and support

The City of Cockburn library staff have reported that the analytics portal is very intuitive and the training session was thorough. Staff were quickly and easily bought up to speed with how to use the portal and how to interpret the statistics.

The ongoing support has been excellent. Any requests we have had have been actioned and responded to immediately.