StackMap's Cool Factor

The Algonquin Area Public Library District in Illinois has been using StackMap since January 2016. Since they went live with StackMap, their reputation as a technologically advanced library has only grown. We talked with Access Services Manager, Gary Christopherson about how StackMap has contributed to the library system’s brand and image. 

I don’t mean to sound trite about this, but I think StackMap has a certain cool factor about it. There are times when I’ll be walking by and someone will say, “Hey, this is really cool.” I mean that very literally; part of why people like it is because of the “look what you can do” factor. We’ve always prided ourselves on doing as much as we can with technology to make our patrons’ lives better, and this is just another way that we can utilize technology to help them out. We were one of the first to have a library mobile app. It’s one of the things we try to do just to keep us on the edge of technology as much as we can. 

Implementing StackMap was a part of a big push to give our patrons more tech-based resources. We did a community survey in February and March, and one of the things that came through heavily was to stay on the leading edge whenever we can. We updated our systems because of that feedback, and now we’re starting to look at our website and update that to just make sure we won’t get complacent. It was the community survey that gave us that prod to get it done. 

StackMap has really put us on the map as a tech-forward institution. Not only that, I’m delighted that people are still actively using it. They’re happy when the library they support is implementing new technology. It’s useful, it’s cool, and it catches people’s attention.

-Gary Christopherson, Access Services Manager at Algonquin Area Public Library District