LapSafe®’s Kay Tilbury speaks with Emma Hollinshead, Library System Specialist at Aston University to discuss their experience having implemented LapSafe®’s Smart Lockers.

Customer Profile:

Aston University’s mission is to be the UK's leading university for students aspiring to succeed in business and the professions, where original research, enterprise, and inspiring teaching deliver local and global impact.

Students from over 120 countries choose to study at Aston University - a friendly campus that a global, multicultural community enjoys.

To cater to the diverse needs of its student population, especially during term time and exam periods, the university's library provides round-the-clock access, seven days a week. Recognised for its outstanding customer service, the library has earned prestigious accolades. However, a challenge arose when the library identified a gap in providing laptop access to students outside staffed hours. Seeking a solution, they turned to LapSafe® to help them find the ideal Smart Locker solution.

The university implemented its first Smart Locker, the Diplomat™ Pro, in 2012. Opting for a 48-bay solution, the university was able to automate its device loaning process, providing students with a seamless self-service process, with 24-hour access.

After positive feedback from students, and witnessing an array of benefits, Aston University has continued to work with LapSafe® and increased its self-service offering. The university now boasts three Diplomat™ Pro Smart Lockers with a total of 168 locker bays.

Here, Aston University’s Library System Specialist, Emma Hollinshead, shares their Smart Locker experience with LapSafe®:

What has been the overall feedback from your students?

Students are incredibly positive about them. They like that they don’t necessarily need to bring their own laptop to the library but can get one of ours to work on while they are in the building, and they offer the flexibility of where they can work, such as in a group study area, in a meeting room to practice a presentation, single study desks or in the silent study area.

Do you find the Smart Locker management software, ONARKEN® easy to use?

The ONARKEN® software has been a useful addition to the LapSafe® offerings. As the Systems Specialist I manage all the library systems. Since the implementation of the software, I have been able to have more control over device issues within the Smart Lockers and units, using it to troubleshoot issues. With ONARKEN® I have also been able to customise reports and amend notices in-house.

Did you require ONARKEN® to integrate with a third-party Library Management System (LMS)?

Yes, we require it to link with our LMS. We were one of the first institutions to do this with our Smart Lockers so there were initial teething problems setting up with our LMS. We recently migrated to a new LMS (WMS from OCLC) and needed to integrate it into the ONARKEN® software. This was a very seamless process working with OCLC and the LapSafe® team, which ensured it was up and running for our go-live date.

What have you found most beneficial from the Smart Lockers?

The straightforward process for the students to be able to borrow a laptop, which is intuitive with minimal need for staff assistance. This saves an incredible amount of time for both staff and students.

What has been your experience with the LapSafe® Support Team?

The LapSafe® support team are excellent. They are knowledgeable, friendly, reliable, and easy to get hold of. They have always been able to identify issues we have had with the Smart Lockers and either fixed them remotely or arranged for an on-site visit. They also worked very collaboratively with us and our other suppliers during our LMS migration and were an immense help in the parallel project in which we had to convert all our Smart Lockers from using barcodes to using RFID readers.

Does the university plan to implement more Smart Lockers?

There are no plans in the pipeline just yet, we started with one cabinet on initial installation then added two more Smart Lockers as the demand grew. So, we are now comfortably accommodating our student device loans. We also have minimal wall space in the library to facilitate another unit.

Would you recommend LapSafe® to other universities?

I would definitely recommend LapSafe® to other universities as it provides a useful service to students and enables them to be more flexible on whereabouts in the library they work without the need to bring in their own device.

Deputy Director Deborah Munro adds:

The LapSafe® cabinets are a key service for Library and Learning Services and are popular with our student community. The provision on this service aligns with our strategy for digital inclusion in a time of economic uncertainty for many of our students.

Invest today!

Visit our Smart Lockers page for more information or use us Contact Form to discuss your requirements with our friendly team.