Case Study: Hamilton Public Library expands rural access and boosts usage with bibliotheca open+

Hamilton Public Library boosts rural access 3x with bibliotheca open+

The Hamilton Public Library faced a challenge in providing equitable service to its rural branches due to budget constraints. The Freelton branch, serving 2,500 patrons, was only open 17 hours a week, leaving its resources and community space unused most of the time. To address this, the library worked with vendor bibliotheca to implement its open+ access solution.

bibliotheca's open+ access system allowed the library to offer flexible, unstaffed open hours controlled via a central management hub. This implementation increased the Freelton branch's open hours from 17 to 60 per week. The results were a 100% increase in overall library usage and a 300% increase in program attendance, demonstrating the solution's significant impact on community access and engagement.

Hamilton Public Library

Paul Takala

Chief Librarian and CEO