Halifax Central Library book conveyor system facing redesign

Part of the high-tech conveyor system for books at Halifax's new central library is facing a redesign.

Two drop-off slots will have to be rebuilt to prevent the system from jamming.

Library director Bruce Gorman says he doesn't have a count of how many books the system handles.

But he says it's always in demand.

"Every minute of the day the machine is in use and people are returning books to us that way."

The library's automated material handling system was designed by the Minnesota-based company Tech Logic.

The company has designed and installed similar systems for libraries across North America.

The system carries returned books, CDs, DVDs, and magazines from the library's two public entrances, up eight metre vertical conveyor belts and through the ceiling to a behind-the-scenes sorting room.

Charmaine Dymond is a central library patron whose two young sons enjoy watching the system at work.

She's noticed it's been frequently out of order since the library opened in early December.

"It hasn't been working off and on. And it's been a little frustrating. But it's great when it does work, and it works very well when it does work, and it's great fun for everybody," she said.

Gorman says jams were often triggered by merging streams of books from competing drop-off slots outside the library, and inside two glass vestibules.

He says it's inconvenient because jammed materials have to be retrieved from the ceiling with the help of a scissor lift.

Gorman says once the two indoor slots were shut down in late April, the frequency of jams has been reduced to about two per month.

Gorman says Tech Logic is aware of the issue, and is finalizing plans to correct it.

"There may be some changes in where the chute actually lives… We'll have detailed plans coming up in the next three or four weeks."

Gorman says because the system is still under warranty, the changes won't cost the library anything. Tech Logic's vice president of Sales, Tom Loy, confirmed this to CBC News in a phone interview Monday.

Gorman says he's committed to the system because it frees librarians to work with library patrons rather than with books.

He says issues such as this are to be expected while opening a new building.

"You know, growing pains happen. There are a lot of growing pains in this library with a lot of things. These are growing pains that have taken a little energy. But this is going to be a very effective system, and I'm very pleased with it," he said.