Improving User Experience and Self-Service Printing in Hafnarfjordur Public Library

Bókasafn Hafnarfjarðar, the Hafnarfjordur Public Library, is the only public library in Hafnarfjordur - Iceland’s third largest town with approximately 32,000 inhabitants. The library serves local residents, schools and institutions in the municipality, while also supporting neighbouring communities through regional library cooperation.

With around 130,000 visitors annually, the library plays an important role as a public service and community space. In July 2026, the library moved into a new location inside a shopping centre, which marked the beginning of a new chapter for the library and its services.

Before implementing Princh, printing at the library was limited to public kiosk computers connected directly to the printer. Users could only print documents from those computers, while copying and scanning required navigating the printer’s built-in interface - something many patrons found confusing and difficult to use.

At the same time, payment for printing was based largely on trust. Users were expected to report their printing at the service desk and pay staff manually afterward.

Library staff also spent considerable time helping users navigate printer settings, troubleshoot printing issues and log into Google accounts on public computers. As more patrons increasingly relied on their own laptops and mobile devices, frustration grew around the lack of a flexible self-service printing option.

Some users even chose to visit neighbouring libraries that had already introduced Princh.

After introducing Princh, the experience changed significantly for both library staff and patrons.

Users can now print, photocopy and scan directly from and to their own devices, making the process far more intuitive and accessible. According to the library team, patrons have become much more independent and self-sufficient when using the printing services.

Users are especially positive about being able to use their own devices.

The shift has also reduced the need for staff support. Instead of helping with logins, printer settings and troubleshooting throughout the day, staff now mainly assist only the least technologically experienced users.

This has freed up valuable staff time while improving the overall experience inside the library.

The biggest benefit for staff is better user experience and better service that they can provide to their patrons.

Interestingly, while the total number of printed and photocopied pages has decreased since implementing Princh, revenue has remained at a similar level. The library has also noticed a reduction in paper waste, as users now pay closer attention to print settings before releasing their documents.

People are more careful when they print and photocopy now compared to before we started using Princh.

According to the Hafnarfjordur library team, the implementation process itself was also a positive experience.

“The cooperation between the Princh implementation team, the Hafnarfjordur IT department and the IT librarians at Hafnarfjordur library has been exemplary.”

Once the library moved into its new location in July, the team expects usage of the Princh solution to increase even further.

Today, Princh has become an integrated part of the library’s daily operations, helping provide a more modern, flexible and user-friendly printing experience for both staff and patrons.