A Game Changer for Douglas Libraries in Far North Queensland
About Douglas Libraries
Located more than 2,000 kilometers north of Brisbane in Far North Queensland, Douglas Libraries serves both local residents and the many visitors travelling through the region every year. Across the Mossman and Port Douglas branches, thousands of people visit the libraries each month - including a large number of backpackers seeking seasonal work in hospitality and tourism during “The Dry” season from April through October.
Challenges
At the Port Douglas branch, which often operates with just a single staff member, printing support had become an increasingly time-consuming task.
Before implementing Princh, visitors needed to log on to one of the library’s four public computers in order to print resumes, travel documents and other files. During the busy backpacker season, queues regularly formed as visitors waited for access to a computer.
Staff also spent significant amounts of time helping users log into email accounts, recover forgotten passwords and navigate the printing process itself.
The challenge was especially noticeable among backpackers applying for jobs in the local tourism and hospitality industry, many of whom needed to regularly print updated CVs and resumes.
Douglas Libraries needed a simpler and more efficient way to offer printing without placing additional pressure on staff or limiting access to public computers.
“Princh has been a real game changer for us at our single staff member Port Douglas Library.”
A Faster and Simpler Printing Experience
After introducing Princh, the printing workflow changed significantly for both staff and visitors.
Instead of signing onto a public computer, users can now simply scan a QR code and send documents directly from their own device. Staff only need to provide a quick explanation about print settings such as copies, color options or single- versus double-sided printing.
The result has been a much faster and smoother experience inside the library.
Because users can now print independently, staff spend far less time troubleshooting simple print jobs or assisting with logins. This has freed up time for other important library tasks while also making public computers more available for users who genuinely need them for study, research or creating documents from scratch.
“The biggest benefit for us is freeing up staff time to undertake other library-associated duties.”
Positive Feedback from Both Staff and Visitors
According to the library team, feedback from both staff and library visitors has been overwhelmingly positive: “More libraries should have this - it is great!”
The service has proven especially popular among tech-savvy backpackers, many of whom return multiple times throughout the season to print resumes and job applications.
The convenience and simplicity of the service has also helped spread awareness of the library through word of mouth among visitors travelling through the region.
“Word of mouth is powerful - especially for the backpacker cohort.”
Today, Princh has become a valued part of daily operations across Douglas Libraries. The success of the implementation has even led the library team to recommend Princh to other library services across Far North Queensland, as well as share their experience through a blog for the State Library of Queensland.