[Michlib-l] Bibliotheca maintenance agreements

[Melissa Huisman]

Thank you all very much!  A mixed response - probably because libraries have more of their products than just the self- checkouts.  Five said it was good to have the maintenance agreement.  A couple said it was too expensive and it was easier to pay for the service visit.   There were some that kept the agreement for one product and not for another.  One mentioned that they were slow to respond in minor issues.  Also - software upgrades may be more difficult without an agreement.  (From Liber 8 to Quick connect).

Thanks again!

Bibliotheca Maintenance Agreement Questions:

Hi!  Can anyone who uses this company for their self check outs give me their opinion as to whether to continue with the maintenance or not?
Thanks!

Melissa Huisman, Library Director
Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville
3338 Van Buren Street, Hudsonville MI  49426
Phone:  616-669-1255 X 5   Fax:  616-669-5150
Email:  mhuisman at hudsonville.org<mailto:mhuisman at hudsonville.org>


Melissa,

We used to pay Maintenance on pads and self-check. We now only pay on the self-check and I believe it is worth the money.  The equipment is expensive to replace and you will not get software updates unless you do.

We have a 4 year old machine and have called for service 3 times. Each time our software needed an update also. There is no way to get this except from Bibliotheca.



In the future I don't think we will buy from them since the original cost seems to be more expensive, but until then it seems to be cheaper to pay the maintenance fee.



Mary Russell

Assistant Director

Tamarack District Library

832 S Lincoln Ave, Box 469

Lakeview, MI  48850

989-352-6274

tamaracklibrary.org

Hello, Melissa.

We currently have 5 Bibliotheca self-checkout machines. We are looking into EnvisionWare currently. However, if we do stay with Bibliotheca, then I do absolutely recommend their maintenance program. We used to have AV unlockers. Those things would break daily/weekly. However, since we have removed them, we have had little trouble with them. However, if you do need maintenance and you don't have a contract, the fees just to come out are astronomical. We do not have a service agreement for our gate counter. It costs over $1,000 every time they come out. From my experience with Bibliotheca, they have to be called at least once or twice a year. It ended up being cheaper for us to go on their service agreement for the self-checkouts.

Good luck in your decision!

Kathy McKinney | System Specialist
Troy Public Library |510 W. Big Beaver, Troy, MI 48084  | Office: 248.619.7583  |troypl.org <http://www.troypl.org/>


Melissa,



The Roseville Public Library installed Bibliotheca gates eight or nine years ago and paid for the maintenance package.  We used it a lot the first three years due to problems settings that the Bibliotheca techs were using and a few bad parts.  Then we didn't need service for two or three years.



I discontinued the almost $3,000 maintenance agreement on our two sets of gates (one singe, one double) two years ago since the gates are so old.  We haven't had any problems and it was a chance I was willing to take.  Other libraries told me that their service calls ranged from $500-$700 - must less expensive for one or even two a year compared to the maintenance agreement.



Regards,



Jacalynn Harvey

Director

Roseville Public Library

Melissa,

If you can afford the maintenance agreement then you should continue with it.  I find them to be helpful and they know exactly what they are doing with the machines and gates if you have them.

Thanks,


Carla D. Archer,
Support Services Coordinator
Southfield Public Library
26300 Evergreen Rd.
Southfield, MI. 48076
carcher at southfieldlibrary.org <mailto:carcher at southfieldlibrary.org%20>
248-796-4320


Good afternoon,



Checkouts, Smart Chutes, RFID Pads (workstations) to name just a few.  Our school of thought on Maintenance & Support is as follows:





*         If we can't fix it ourselves and it needs to be working within 24 hours, then purchase the maintenance & support contract.



*         If we can't afford to throw it out and buy a new one when it dies, then purchase the maintenance & support contract.



*         If we expect to receive updates to remain current (e.g. new functionality and bug fixes), then purchase the maintenance & support contract.



The above philosophy is the same we use for all of our Technology from our Network Equipment to File Servers to Phone Systems to Microsoft Office Products.



Most Enterprise Technology (Hardware & Software) all offer maintenance & support agreements.  It is one of the most often misunderstood & overlooked costs of running an smooth operation.  The best analogy I can give you if you don't purchase it is like not purchasing Oil Changes for your car.  Your car will run for a while, but IT WILL eventually have problems without doing the required maintenance.  The same thing can be said for your IT Equipment, including Bibliotheca Equipment.  Eventually you will wish you had it because the little cost every year will be far less than buying the new one later.



I hope this helps.



Kind regards,



Lance

As you saw from Lance's message to you, KDL uses many of the Bibliotheca products - Self Checkouts, Smart Chutes, RFID Pads (workstations) to name just a few.  Our school of thought on Maintenance & Support is as follows:


*         If we can't fix it ourselves and it needs to be working within 24 hours, then purchase the maintenance & support contract.

*         If we can't afford to throw it out and buy a new one when it dies, then purchase the maintenance & support contract.

*         If we expect to receive updates to remain current (e.g. new functionality and bug fixes), then purchase the maintenance & support contract.

The above philosophy is the same we use for all of our Technology from our Network Equipment to File Servers to Phone Systems to Microsoft Office Products.

Most Enterprise Technology (Hardware & Software) all offer maintenance & support agreements.  It is one of the most often misunderstood & overlooked costs of running an smooth operation.  The best analogy I can give you if you don't purchase it is like not purchasing Oil Changes for your car.  Your car will run for a while, but IT WILL eventually have problems without doing the required maintenance.  The same thing can be said for your IT Equipment, including Bibliotheca Equipment.  Eventually you will wish you had it because the little cost every year will be far less than buying the new one later.


Again, if there is anything I can do to help, even if it is talking through options with you, don't hesitate to call.  I totally understand not every Library System has the same budget, but we all are trying to make what we do have stretch further and further.  So the principals are the same and I would be happy to discuss anytime.


Thanks,

Kurt

Kurt Stevens
IT Director
Kent District Library
814 W. River Center Drive
Comstock Park, MI 49321
C: 616-293-7094 | kstevens at kdl.org<mailto:kstevens at kdl.org>

Hi Melissa!
I canned the agreement the first year I started at ODL, five years ago. We were paying 8 GRAND A YEAR!!!!! I am happy to report that it was a wise decision. I had them out once and even with their insanely high rate for service I think that one call out was only a couple hundred bucks.
We used the $8,000 saved to create an Early Literacy Center.

Hope you are doing well.

Andrea

Andrea Estelle, MLIS
Library Director
Otsego District Library


There was one other larger library that mentioned that the support that they received from Bibliotheca for minor issues was not very fast.  They had other concerns as well about the 3M/Bibliotheca merge and software/hardware support/updates.

Melissa Huisman, Library Director
Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville
3338 Van Buren Street, Hudsonville MI  49426
Phone:  616-669-1255 X 5   Fax:  616-669-5150
Email:  mhuisman at hudsonville.org<mailto:mhuisman at hudsonville.org>

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