4 Ways to Use Foot Traffic Data to Attract Patrons to Your Library
April 26, 2018
Last week we partnered with LibraryWorks to host our very first webinar featuring occupancy management for libraries using our SafeSpace Occupancy Monitoring solution. We were excited for such a great turnout and the discussion that followed during the Q&A time. Below you will find a recap of the what we covered in the webinar and common questions asked by the library community.
Why Libraries Count Patrons
• Occupancy management
• Report for government funding
• Justify facility expansion or remodel
• Analyze facility usage patterns
Technology Behind Occupancy Management
A VIDX sensor is the base for an automated occupancy management system. SafeSpace relies on the sensor’s data to calculate library occupancy.
SenSource VIDX Series People Counting Sensor – The VIDX sensor is the most accurate technology available with 97% or greater accuracy guaranteed. The sensor is layered with AI for continued accuracy and can be validated by accessing the sensor’s video feed.
In addition to the sensor technology, the team at SenSource professionally commissions each sensor in the field to ensure the highest accuracy is achieved. Our technical support team also manages your sensors with proactive sensor health maintenance.
SafeSpace Occupancy Management for Libraries
SafeSpace Occupancy Management System syncs traffic data from sensors and a manual app at each of your library entrances to calculate occupancy status in real-time.
The second part of the SafeSpace solution is the display options for showing patrons and staff the current occupancy status and alerting patrons if it’s safe to enter or wait. Occupancy can be displayed on a smart TV or tablet by using a designated URL or by accessing our app in the Amazon App store.
The final part of the SafeSpace occupancy management solution is the reporting tools accessed through Vea Analytics Reporting Platform. Library executives and staff can quickly and easily report on historical occupancy metrics to report on compliance – for a single location or an entire library system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hardware requirements for each sensor?
The VIDX sensors are PoE (power over Ethernet) requiring a single cable run from the sensor to your network.
Is it possible to customize the heads up displays?
We offer 3 standard versions of the display (occupancy numbers; occupancy numbers with an icon; icon-only with no numbers). We offer an API should you want to customize the display further, add to your website or mobile app, etc.
We already have SenSource sensors, can we use them with SafeSpace?
Yes! Our technical support staff can easily unlock SafeSpace features in your Vea reporting instance and it’s a month-to-month payment, no annual contracts required. Customers using VIDX or VID sensors with Vea cloud-based software are compatible with SafeSpace. Customers using other model sensors or on-premise software will need to upgrade their hardware and/or software to access SafeSpace.
Are the sensors for SafeSpace able to be used as traditional patron counters when the pandemic is over?
Absolutely, the VIDX sensors are used for both traditional people counting and occupancy management. SafeSpace is simply a specific calculation of the traffic data done in our Vea Reporting Platform for real-time occupancy. In the future, you can cancel the SafeSpace feature and continue receiving standard traffic counts.