Ramsey, NJ (April 11, 2017) – In celebration of National Library Week, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., proudly announces innovative solutions it has successfully brought to libraries nationwide that have effectively addressed the challenges of document management, privacy and productivity. This, in turn, has saved libraries significant amounts of money and given librarians and staff more time to spend assisting patrons rather than grappling with high volumes of documents and print chargeback issues.
“Konica Minolta took us from the basic 20th century technology into multifunctional, automated technology of the 21st century,” said Karen Strauss, chief of the main library at the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL), after Konica Minolta upgraded the library’s office automation network. SFPL’s antiquated coin-operated process for charging patrons kept librarians busy managing money from an array of devices rather than tending to more vital responsibilities. Additionally, its system provided no accountability, giving administrators no financial or usage reports for measuring its volume of activity, expenses, etc. The Konica Minolta solutions not only removed the need for coins and cash transactions — reducing disruptive staff intervention and increasing their productivity — but it also provided SFPL with such modern amenities as wireless remote printing for patrons, multiple language capability to accommodate the community’s diverse population, and faxing capability charged through the new system.
Konica Minolta introduced The New York Public Library (NYPL) — the nation’s largest public library — to an advanced pay-for-copy and print solution throughout its 88 branches and four research centers. The solution, from ITC Systems, a Konica Minolta partner, was a more flexible and economical one than NYPL’s existing system in that it provided patrons with a wide variety of payment options to pay for copying, printing and scanning, including bills, coins, credit card, debit card, Apple Pay and a stored value card. This was a unique requirement because of the wide diverse population that the library accommodates. Additionally, because it was impractical to replace NYPL’s entire existing payment system, the solution had to seamlessly interface with existing technology. The ITC System solution was able to satisfy all of NYPL’s criteria.
“The theme for this year’s National Library Week is ‘Libraries Transform’ and it perfectly reflects how Konica Minolta has helped transform libraries into ‘Libraries of the Future’ with innovative technologies and solutions,” said Kay Du Fernandez, vice president, Marketing, Konica Minolta. “I know how invaluable time- and money-saving solutions are to libraries, and I’m very proud of how we have been able to successfully address many of the pressing issues they face daily with affordable, effective responses.”
National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) each April. It celebrates the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians, and promotes the use and support provided by all types of libraries — school, public, academic and specialty.
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About Konica Minolta:
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future www.reshapework.com. With our comprehensive portfolio, we deliver solutions to leverage mobility, cloud services, and optimize business processes with workflow automation. Our All Covered IT Services division offers a range of IT strategy, support, and network security solutions across all verticals. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for ten consecutive years and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2016 America’s Best Employers list. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for five years in a row. We partner with our customers to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit: www.countonkonicaminolta.com and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter @konicaminoltaus.
About American Library Association:
The American Library Association (ALA) is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Founded on October 6, 1876, during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the mission of ALA is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” Learn more at www.ala.org.
