Virtual visit of Kranj City Library
About this good practice
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic and its limitations, the Kranj City Library has developed contactless services, online events and Zoom socializing. They started introducing online events, streaming them live, and then posting them on YouTube. The epidemic changed the work environment, processes and ways of working, so they upgraded and introduced new services, presented in a digital environment and made the library accessible to all. In order to preserve the memory of the Kranj City Library and its services and promote an interactive approach, they prepared a 3D interactive, virtual tour of the library, where someone can become a new member of the library, pay obligations, borrow e-books, audio books, movies, and books that can be sent home to users. Library activities and services have been adapted to the changed situation, new approaches have been used and some services have been moved to a virtual environment. With this, they made sense of their existence and proactive action.
The new services of the Kranj City Library will refer to a personalized approach to users and will address new users by knowing their habits, the way they spend their free time and their economic and social status. They will identify individual user profiles and deliver individualized messages, offer special services, events and other content. The rapid development of digital technology is leverage for public libraries to follow and use the same communication channels as their potential users.
Resources needed
The process took 7 days. 2 library employees prepared the whole library for scanning and an employee from Mediapro company scanned it with professional 3D cameras. The cost for implementation was 3.500 EUR, server hosting 160 EUR/month and updates in Slovene and English language additional 670 EUR.
Evidence of success
3D virtual tour around Kranj City Library is also implemented on Google Earth, Maps and in StreetView. This is a time capsule and a modern tool for knowing the library better, for finding spaces, events and materials easily. And also for finding all sorts of instructions about how to use library’s services. Statistics for 2021 are: 1.140 visitors visited the Library 3D virtual tour 2.676 times.
Potential for learning or transfer
Kranj City Library is a place for learning, culture and a driving force of social progress. It influences changes in local and wider environment, and ensures the highest possible quality of its services and aims to increase their accessibility, efficiency and diversity. Thus, the idea of a virtual visit was born. Tasks necessary to implement this good practice included for library employees to remove all COVID restriction signs, move chairs, computers and other furniture to their place, i.e., turn the place to its best shape. Scanning equipment were professional 3D cameras. Each camera having 9 lenses and laser measurement and a total resolution of 134MP. As, what matters is not only the content, but also how it is presented. One can take a virtual library tour of quite a few libraries in the world. Because, in addition to websites, libraries are right to include social networks, where they publish content recognizable to users and thus build a strong relationship between with users.