More Than Just a Library!? My Impressions of Using Kashikan

It is surprisingly difficult to keep track of "who is borrowing what and when" during daily tasks and activities, isn't it?

Spending time managing books, equipment, and supplies instead of focusing on your core activities... Kashikan is here to solve those problems.

You can easily manage checkouts and returns with just your smartphone, and features like QR codes and reminders help prevent "forgotten returns."

It is being adopted by local libraries, schools, and club activities, making it a simple yet reliable service.

In this article, I will introduce its appeal based on my actual experience using Kashikan.

Note: This article is written based on my own experience with Kashikan, as requested by byus&co. The request was only for an honest report on the user experience, and it does not reflect the intentions of sponsors or advertisers.

What is Kashikan?

Kashikan is an online service that allows you to easily manage the "lending of items" such as books, equipment, and supplies using just your smartphone.

Its main feature is the ability to centralize lending status on the cloud, which was previously managed on paper or in Excel.

It comes with convenient features such as checkouts and returns using QR codes, return notifications via reminders, and reservation management via a calendar.

It is widely used by groups ranging from small teams to local libraries, schools, and NPOs, and its intuitive operation without the need for special knowledge is also a major appeal.

Since you can start with a free plan, you can try it out in a style that suits you (such as starting for free).

Click below to go to Kashikan.

The actual usage flow

I will explain the actual usage flow.

Kashikan can also be used via the web version, but here I will explain the flow using the app version.

First, register your user name on Kashikan.

A Gmail address is sufficient for the email address you use.

Regarding the user name, if you feel embarrassed about using your real name, you are free to use an account name instead.

After registration, the screen will look like the one above.

To use Kashikan, you must either create and manage a group or join and manage a group.

In my case, I was invited to a group based on a request from byus&co., so I was able to join the group immediately.

The books and tools handled within the group vary, but the items displayed are available for lending and borrowing.

Benefits I felt after using it

Kashikan clearly displays items that can be borrowed, not just books.

In the case of books, it is very easy to understand because you can see at a glance what kind of books are available to borrow.

For reservations, a calendar is displayed, so you enter the period you will be reading the book.

It is similar to borrowing from a library; you specify the start date and return date to determine the number of days you will use it.

You won't be able to finish reading in one day, so make sure to reserve the rental period for at least a few days.

For now, I was able to make a reservation and borrow items from 9/4 to 9/7.

In the case of a library, you can only borrow books, but a distinctive feature of Kashikan is that you can borrow not only books but also items like dumbbells and microphones.

The advantage is that you can temporarily borrow items that you don't necessarily want to buy but really need to use, or you can try them out and then purchase them yourself if you find them useful.

If you can borrow them for free, the benefits are significant.

Challenges and Points of Concern

Kashikan is a service that has just started, but after actually using it, I felt that for books, it would be easier to borrow them if a system like e-books were introduced.

I don't know how the Kashikan system is structured, but it might be good to separate books from other items.

While tools actually need to be lent and borrowed as physical objects, I feel that for books, as long as e-book technology exists, there is no need to lend and borrow them physically.

I didn't try the paid version this time, but I was curious if there is a difference in what you can borrow between the paid and free versions.

Also, I read through the terms of service, but I thought that clearly stating how to handle situations where a borrower breaks an owner's item would help prevent trouble.

Summary: The Future of Rental Management in the Next Generation

In conclusion, after experiencing it firsthand, Kashikan is a service that makes me feel the future of next-generation rental management.

What I felt after actually using Kashikan was the surprise that "lending management could be this simple."

Everything from registering on the app to joining groups and reserving books or tools can be operated intuitively, and the ability to specify the number of days for a reservation just like a library is very convenient.

Since you can borrow not only books but also tools like dumbbells and microphones, it meets needs such as "wanting to try something temporarily" or "wanting to check usability before purchasing."

The wide range of things you can try for free is also a major appeal. On the other hand, I also saw room for future improvement, such as incorporating an e-book system or clarifying the rules for handling damage.

Kashikan is a service that greatly expands the possibilities of lending, and I would definitely recommend it to those who want to revitalize group activities or sharing within their community.