Library going DIY

The Butte County Library will move to self-service checkout and some other automation, according to a plan approved Tuesday (Oct. 27) by the Board of Supervisors.

The Chico, Gridley, Oroville and Paradise branches will integrate fully automated self-service technology over the next year, with all branches adding radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to library materials. The Chico branch—the busiest—also will automate sorting.

The supervisors unanimously approved spending $653,248 for the upgrade, with $330,000 of those funds a gift from the estate of the late Martha Dunbar, who was a regular patron of the Chico branch.

The board also approved no-cost plans to add two hours weekly at the Gridley, Oroville and Paradise branches, but balked at spending $47,344 to add five hours in Chico.