At the Mount Prospect Public Library, our Library of Things collection continues to grow, offering patrons access to unique items beyond traditional books—gadgets, tools, games, and more. To make this collection more accessible, the library’s Marketing Department initially planned to create thousands of informational tags, each featuring key details about individual items. The tags needed to include the item’s title, description, image, a QR code linking to the catalog entry, the item’s catalog ID, and a specific header based on the item’s category.
The Challenge
Manually creating thousands of tags was going to take countless library staff hours. Additionally, when the library transitioned from the Horizon catalog system to Polaris, all the tags would need to be recreated due to changes in catalog item numbers and the structure of the catalog links. Given this potential for wasted time and resources, I recognized an opportunity to automate the entire process.
The Solution: A Custom Program
I had previously created a comprehensive database for our Library of Things collection for the library’s website. Leveraging this database, I developed a Python program that could generate each tag automatically, drastically reducing the time and effort required.
How the Program Works
The program works in several steps:
- Data Retrieval: First, the program retrieves all the Library of Things items and saves the data in JSON format. This JSON data includes the title, description, image, category, and other essential details for each item.
- PDF Creation: Using the JSON data, the Python program creates a PDF file for each item, featuring:
- Title: The name of the item.
- Description: A brief overview of the item.
- Image: A picture of the item pulled directly from the database.
- QR Code: A generated QR code linking to the item’s catalog entry.
- Bib Number: The catalog identification number.
- Category Header: A custom header based on the item’s category, making it easy for patrons to identify the type of item they’re viewing.
- Updating for the New Catalog: When we switched from the Horizon catalog system to Polaris, I modified the code to handle the new item numbers and QR code structure. I re-ran the program, updating all existing tags with the new catalog information—saving additional staff hours.
Results
The final output was a set of high-quality PDF tags that the Marketing Department could print and display in the library lobby. Every time a new item is added to our Library of Things, I simply re-run the Python program and hand over the newly generated tags to the Marketing team.
Why This Matters
This automation solution turned a task that would have taken countless staff hours into something that can be completed in a few minutes. When the library director saw how effective and time-saving the solution was, I was awarded a bonus for my efforts.
Impact & Future Uses
The program I developed is not just a one-time fix—it’s a long-term solution. It will continue to save time whenever the catalog changes or new items are added. Plus, it’s a great example of how libraries can harness technology to make resource management more efficient. Automation can transform manual, repetitive tasks into quick and easy processes, allowing staff to focus more on community engagement and less on data entry.