Self-checkout, music downloads now at Ela Area Library

Visitors to the Ela Area Public Library in Lake Zurich should be noticing a few changes that came about this fall.

The library recently completed a round of upgrades to improve efficiency, including new self-checkout stations. Patrons can pay fines, renew items or check out from other libraries all at the same station.

“The whole project has been great so far, the first month has gone wonderful,” said Mary-Beth Campe, executive director of the library.

Campe said circulation has been moved to a different room, but the library remained open throughout the process.

Campe said she won't have statistics on how many people are using the new checkouts until next month. If someone doesn't want to use the self-checkout system, the library still staffs the circulation desk.

Another new program is letting patrons download music straight to their MP3 players.

Visitors can find the new service, Freegal Music, at the library website, eapl.org. It offers more than 400,000 songs from more than 50 Sony affiliated labels.

Anyone with an Ela Public Library card can download three songs each week and can keep the downloads forever, said Valerie Stern, library communications director.

The library also upgraded its obsolete RFID, radio frequency identification the operating system for checking books in and out and tracking items.

Campe said the upgrades brought Ela Area up-to-date with other local libraries.

The project cost around $550,000 out of the library's reserves and took 3½ months, which is what Campe said was planned.

“The patrons have been great,” Campe added. “The changes have been seamless.”