Context
Public libraries are a core sector of the InMédia / BiblioMondo knowledge platform. The Châlons Library Companion was delivered in 2019 while I was at InMédia / BiblioMondo, extending catalogues and personal services onto phones — bridging physical collections and digital self-service.
I led the front-end team as Team Leader and Front-End Developer, owning delivery of a production companion app for library patrons.
Overview
The app lets patrons manage loans, renewals, and account information without queuing at a desk. A vibrant, multilingual interface keeps loan status, reservations, and alerts close at hand — including barcode-based auto-loan and renewal.
Key Features
- Instant account access: Personalized home and dashboard for library transactions.
- Real-time loan status: Titles, dates, and color-coded alerts for active loans.
- Self-service loan and renewal: Barcode scanning for checkout and renewal without the queue.
- Interactive covers and details: Visual reading lists that match how patrons browse.
- Multilingual support: Comfortable experience for a diverse user base.
- Notifications: Reminders that help avoid late fees.
- Streamlined navigation: Loans, history, reservations, and account in one clear structure.
Technologies Used
- React Native: Cross-platform iOS and Android from one codebase.
- React + Redux: Interactive UI with predictable state across flows.
- Device integration: Camera-based barcode scanning for auto-loan.
Challenges and Learnings
Barcode scanning and live sync with the library backend demanded careful error handling. Multilingual UI had to stay coherent under layout pressure. Leading the team meant coordinating timelines without letting polish slip — the same operational bar as other institutional deployments.
Outcome
Patrons got a companion that simplifies everyday library life. For me, it is a clear case of ideation → mobile product → institutional deployment: public-library constraints, multilingual delivery, and a stack aligned with the broader knowledge-platform ecosystem.
