The achievements WIB reaches month after month are also made possible by a strong network of partners, each specialized in one or more fields, allowing WIB smart lockers to seamlessly integrate into processes and services across a wide range of sectors—from industrial laundries to sports centers, coworking spaces, and… libraries.

And today, we’re talking about libraries, to get to know our partner ISNG better—an organization that for nearly 20 years has been dedicated to making Italian libraries more innovative, automated, and accessible.

To find out more, we sat down with Andrea Sinigaglia, Technical Director and Key Account Manager at ISNG, and we thank him for his time and availability.

Andrea, thank you for joining us today! Let’s dive right in: we introduced you as Technical Director and Key Account Manager at ISNG—what does ISNG do, and what does your day-to-day look like?

Thank you for having me—it’s a pleasure to talk and share insights!
ISNG has been involved in library automation for nearly 20 years, offering a full-service approach from hardware to software. We help libraries automate and improve their processes—from circulation to cataloging—supporting them in fulfilling their mission.

We now serve around 400 public and private libraries across the country—a truly significant number!

Personally, I’ve grown a lot within the company. I’ve been with ISNG for 15 years now—started in tech support, and over time, I’ve taken on roles with increasing responsibility.

Today, I wear two hats—technical and commercial. This dual role allows me to engage with clients and reflect on their specific needs while leveraging the technical expertise I’ve gained over the years.

It’s demanding, but I’m very proud of what we’re accomplishing together with our team and partners.

At ISNG, you have a privileged vantage point on libraries of all types—university and public. How are these spaces evolving, and what trends do you find most interesting?

A key trend is that public libraries are increasingly transforming into community hubs—multifunctional spaces that go beyond their original role. Some libraries now have media centers and even game rooms where people can play video games. More and more are adding cafés, either for daily use or to support events and gatherings.

As for university libraries, they remain places of study and exam prep. While physical books are less central, we’re seeing a growing use of short-term e-book loans, which is a really interesting trend.

Even these libraries are becoming more multifunctional, with students able to book rooms for group work and collaborative projects.

Thanks for that great overview! Let’s talk about technology, which plays an increasingly central role in our daily lives. Smart lockers “close the loop” between digital and physical: how has public perception of this technology evolved, and what are the key factors for a quality user experience?

Without a doubt, COVID-19 changed a lot of habits in Italy, including how people interact with library services. The ability to “decouple” interactions—meaning, separating borrowing from pickup—enabled by smart lockers, is becoming more and more popular and appreciated. We’ve seen this in many sectors, and libraries are no exception.

One key factor is location: if the smart locker is placed where it’s accessible even outside library hours, it’s far more effective and can deliver true 24/7 service.

The user experience has also improved as smartphone adoption has grown, along with familiarity with tools like QR codes and RFID.

Speaking of which, RFID technology, which is our specialty, allows us to offer a very smooth experience: using RFID tags, users only need to tap a card or smartphone to manage the entire process, start to finish.

It’s a major improvement over the past and really enhances convenience.

We couldn’t agree more! Let’s talk about your most recent installation, at a major university in Rome. Can you tell us more about that project?

It’s a project we’re very proud of because we were able to fully integrate our solution and the WIB smart locker with the library’s management software—an important platform used by many libraries across Italy.

Thanks to this integration, which was the result of collaboration between our technicians, WIB’s team, and the vendor of the management system, library staff can now interact with the smart locker directly from their main software, without needing to switch systems or learn new interfaces.

This simplifies everything, making the process easier and smoother for everyone—including end users.

Now that this integration is available, we’re excited to bring it to other libraries as well. We’ll definitely have more to share soon!

We’re sure of it! Let’s take a peek into the near future: what new experiences or developments are you currently working on?

Well, what we just discussed is a big development, and we expect to be working on more integrations like it in the coming months.

We’re also exploring major advancements in automation. It’s complex—as anything built for reliable, continuous use by a diverse public should be—but it’s what we do. And we’re committed to making experiences, as we say on our website, more automated and more accessible.

It’s a great challenge, but one that’s worth taking on. Libraries are a cornerstone of our societies, and being able to support their renewal and growth—helping them remain integral parts of the social fabric—is a challenge well worth embracing.

We couldn’t agree more!

We thank Andrea Sinigaglia for his time and valuable insights, and we share ISNG’s commitment to supporting libraries through this evolutionary process—one that preserves, and in some cases enhances, their social value and relevance.

WIB smart lockers, when integrated with library management solutions, are just one more tool—among those offered by ISNG and other partners—that helps add value to the library experience.