CARLSBAD — Carlsbad’s public libraries are looking to streamline key processes by installing new equipment as part of a technology and system upgrade.
The improved automated materials-handling system and technology that uses radio-frequency identification, or RFID, should enhance patrons’ experiences “by offering faster and more convenient self-service options,” according to a city spokesperson.
The Carlsbad City Council authorized the city manager to execute a contract for the technology and services with Bibliotheca LLC — based in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, with offices around the world — for a total of $748,800 over six years, according to city documents.
The agreement is broken into two distinct periods. The first year of the agreement with Bibliotheca will cost the city $485,690 and will include the purchase of equipment and the implementation of the systems. Years two through six of the contract cover maintenance and ongoing operating costs at an annual rate of $52,622, for a total of $263,110, according to the documents.
Bibliotheca is a library technology company with a variety of self-service and automated products used by more than 30,000 libraries worldwide, according to its website.
Carlsbad’s current automated systems “have become unreliable and challenging to maintain,” according to a city report. The existing agreement is set to expire in September 2026.
The report states that the Bibliotheca system would give the libraries “a modern, integrated system” to “enhance operational efficiency through faster and more reliable materials handling and improve staff workflows by reducing manual intervention.”
All of the city’s public library locations will receive new self-checkout kiosks that should be more responsive and include additional features, such as recommendations for books to read next and the option to text a transaction receipt, according to the city spokesperson.
The new technology should also aid in the sorting of returned books, helping “library staff sort and process materials more efficiently,” the spokesperson said. “Sorters” automatically organize returned materials into bins and can process hundreds of items per hour. This should help return books and other items to shelves more quickly than the current system.
The Georgina Cole Library and Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane will receive new sorters as part of the agreement.
The city plans to have the new equipment installed by the end of 2026, a spokesperson said.
