While a lot of modern technology, including self-issue kiosks, was introduced at Oamaru Library as part of a three-week refurbishment project in 2017, it has yet to reach the district's other libraries in Omarama, Otematata, Kurow (at Waitaki Valley School), Palmerston and Hampden.
Those libraries, which are run almost exclusively by volunteers, have been modernised in terms of their look and layout over the past few years but lack the user-friendly technology needed to bring them in line with Oamaru's library.
However, Waitaki District Libraries manager Philip van Zijl said that would soon change.
"Our next initiative is to computerise all of our branch libraries and put them in the same branch library management system and make them all automated," he said.
"That will mean better statistical information and an open-source library management system that everyone can access.
"That will give people access to all of the books in the whole district instantly and they can reserve and see which books we have got in our system."
Mr van Zijl said the libraries would likely have RFID technology installed, though not in the form of the kiosk system in Oamaru that reads radio-frequency identification tags attached to each book.
Instead, library volunteers would oversee that process.
Mr van Zijl said is was important that libraries in smaller centres were not left behind, as they were an important part of the communities they were based in.
"We want more parity in terms of our service delivery in the branches than there has been in the past."
It would also free up more time for volunteers, who were to undergo additional training, to engage with people who needed help with inquiries related to research or digital support.
Plans were also in place to demonstrate the use and accessibility of audiobooks in rest-homes, Mr van Zijl said.
