The First Railway Station Library Of Europe Opened

Online, September 1, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Recently, the first library on a railway station of Europe was opened. The station of Haarlem (in the Netherlands) has the scoop. The library is especially developed for travellers who visit the station regularly.

Train passengers can access the library at the station freely on working days between 7.00-9.00 am and 4.00-7.00 pm for lending books and magazines. They can also find cultural information on the city Haarlem and make use of the internet. This way they can make the waiting time more pleasant.

Nedap Librix, provider of RFID technology for libraries, has implemented the RFID self service equipment so patrons can easily and quickly lend books and magazines themselves. "The introduction of self-service systems in a library like this one, that can be conducted by a limited amount of staff, not only dispenses with queues and allows the library visitor to borrow and return the selected media whilst protecting his or her privacy", is the vision of Marco Gerritsen, Nedap Librix sales manager for the Netherlands.

Libraries on a railway station are the new way to reach commuters. Most of the time commuters are not able to go to a library outside working hours, as libraries will be closed by that time. Through this new type of libraries a new target group can be reached.

Gerritsen continues: "We always say that libraries need to work in an innovative way to maintain and improve their relevance in the current age of information. With projects like these they definitely take a step in the right direction."

The library on the station is a project of the Public Library of Haarlem and ProBiblio. At the moment they test run this library. In September it will officially be opened.

In the future more railway stations in several countries in Europe are expected to be equipped with a library on the station.