How long does setup actually take?

Most libraries have a real week scheduled the same afternoon they sign up. A guided setup walks through adding people and service points, and you can paste in an existing roster to start.

Is there a trial before we commit?

Yes — a free 30-day pilot, no credit card required, so you can run a real week before deciding.

Does this replace our payroll or time-clock system?

No. Kickstool builds the schedule and exports scheduled hours; pair it with whatever payroll or time-clock system you already use. Keeping scheduling focused is deliberate.

What happens to our data if we switch away?

Export everything, anytime, in your own download. Nothing is held hostage in a proprietary format.

We're only one branch — is this overkill?

No. Most libraries on Kickstool run a single branch and pay one flat rate. Multi-branch support is there if you grow into it, but nothing about single-branch setup is more complex.

Can it hold our desk rules, like a two-hour cap at one desk?

Yes. Write your library's rules in settings: max time in a row at one desk, max desk time per day, and a guaranteed off-desk minimum. When a draft shift breaks one, the dialog says so while you are still building it. It warns, it never blocks a save, because some days the exception is the right call. Rules are off until you turn them on. Lunch breaks can go on the shift too, so a desk left empty over lunch shows up as a coverage gap instead of a surprise.

Does it build the schedule for us automatically?

No — and that's on purpose. Recurring patterns and one-click gap-filling take the retyping out of it, but the actual call on who covers what stays with a person. Most libraries want it that way. When you do need to move something fast, Day view turns a single day into a drag-and-drop board.

Built for public libraries

Library staff scheduling software, minus the spreadsheet

Kickstool schedules your whole library — staff and volunteers, recurring shifts, time off, and a live today board — on one screen you can update from anywhere.

Start your free pilot

Free 30-day pilot · No credit card · Export your data anytime

Build the whole week on one screen.

Not a dated spreadsheet you have to decode. People down the side, the week across the top, every shift in its place. Flip to Service points to read the same week by desk — and spot the desks nobody's covering yet.

June 16 – 22

2 gaps to fill this week

Staff

Mon 16

Tue 17

Wed 18

Today

Thu 19

Fri 20

Sat 21

Sun 22

Closed

Janet R.

24h this week

Info Desk · 9 AM – 1 PM

Info Desk · 9 AM – 1 PMCirculation · 1 PM – 5 PM

Info Desk · 9 AM – 1 PM

Marcus T.

24h this week

Circulation · 1 PM – 5 PM

Info Desk · 9 AM – 1 PMCirculation · 1 PM – 5 PM

Circulation · 10 AM – 2 PM

Dana P.Volunteer

12h this week

Children's · 10 AM – 2 PM

Sam K.

15h this week

Shelving · 9 AM – 12 PMChildren's · 12 PM – 3 PM

Shelving · 9 AM – 12 PM

PTO

Shelving · 9 AM – 12 PMCataloging · 12 PM – 3 PM

Priya M.Volunteer

10h this week

Outreach · 1 PM – 4 PM

Children's · 10 AM – 2 PM

Outreach · 1 PM – 4 PM

Omar D.

15h this week

Cataloging · 12 PM – 5 PM

Everything on the sheet, at a glance

The parts most libraries check off during evaluation, grouped by what they cover.

Scheduling & coverage

Recurring shifts that skip the days you're closed
Every uncovered desk hour flagged automatically, before it happens
Day view: drag a shift to move, resize, or hand it off to someone else
Month view for the big-picture look, Week and Day for the daily work
Split one shift across multiple service points by dragging, not retyping
Two-level model: shifts with per-assignment service points
Your desk rules, checked while you draft: caps on desk time warn, never block
Lunch breaks on the shift itself, and an uncovered desk over lunch is flagged

Staff & volunteers

Volunteers scheduled exactly like staff — never charged as a seat
Per-person availability, and who's over hours, at a glance
Role-based access: admins edit, staff and volunteers self-serve

Requests & swaps

Time off requests from a phone, approved with a tap
Staff claim open shifts and swap shifts without an email chain
Warnings before a double-booking or a training mismatch

Calendar & mobile

Shifts sync automatically to Google, Apple, or Outlook calendar
A real web app — edit from a phone, tablet, or any browser
Shareable read-only schedule link, no login required

Reports & data

Volunteer and staff hours, grant-ready, exportable to CSV
Desk-time balance report: desk vs. off-desk hours per person
Export everything, anytime — no lock-in

Kickstool vs. spreadsheets & legacy schedulers

If you're replacing a spreadsheet or a desktop-era tool, this is usually where the difference actually shows up.

Where it shows up	Spreadsheet / legacy tool	Kickstool
Setting up a new week	Retype the schedule, or copy last month's tab and edit around it.	Recurring patterns build the week automatically and skip your closures.
Finding an uncovered desk	Read the whole grid and hope you catch it.	Understaffed slots are flagged automatically, before the day happens.
Keeping your desk-time rules	A rule in someone's head, or a hand-built spreadsheet formula to catch it.	Write the rule in settings once. Drafts that break it get a warning, and a save is never blocked.
Editing on the go	One machine in the back office, or a read-only web view.	Full edit access from any phone, tablet, or browser.
Staff checking their shift	Call, text, or walk over and ask.	A subscribed calendar feed, plus a phone view of today's schedule.
Covering a callout	Text the group chat and hope someone answers.	Open shifts posted in-app — staff claim them, you approve with a tap.
Volunteer cost	Charged or tracked like paid staff — if the tool supports volunteers at all.	Scheduled exactly like staff, never charged as a seat.
Grant & board reports	Manually tally hours off the schedule by hand.	Hours by person, desk, or date range — exported to CSV in a couple of clicks.
Pricing model	Per-seat or per-scheduler charges that grow with your roster.	One flat, published price per branch.
Leaving the tool	Data often trapped in a proprietary format.	Export everything, anytime — no lock-in.

One flat price per branch — not per person. Volunteers are always included, free.

See pricing

Questions before you switch

How long does setup actually take?: Most libraries have a real week scheduled the same afternoon they sign up. A guided setup walks through adding people and service points, and you can paste in an existing roster to start.
Is there a trial before we commit?: Yes — a free 30-day pilot, no credit card required, so you can run a real week before deciding.
Does this replace our payroll or time-clock system?: No. Kickstool builds the schedule and exports scheduled hours; pair it with whatever payroll or time-clock system you already use. Keeping scheduling focused is deliberate.
What happens to our data if we switch away?: Export everything, anytime, in your own download. Nothing is held hostage in a proprietary format.
We're only one branch — is this overkill?: No. Most libraries on Kickstool run a single branch and pay one flat rate. Multi-branch support is there if you grow into it, but nothing about single-branch setup is more complex.
Can it hold our desk rules, like a two-hour cap at one desk?: Yes. Write your library's rules in settings: max time in a row at one desk, max desk time per day, and a guaranteed off-desk minimum. When a draft shift breaks one, the dialog says so while you are still building it. It warns, it never blocks a save, because some days the exception is the right call. Rules are off until you turn them on. Lunch breaks can go on the shift too, so a desk left empty over lunch shows up as a coverage gap instead of a surprise.
Does it build the schedule for us automatically?: No — and that's on purpose. Recurring patterns and one-click gap-filling take the retyping out of it, but the actual call on who covers what stays with a person. Most libraries want it that way. When you do need to move something fast, Day view turns a single day into a drag-and-drop board.

See your whole week on one screen.

Pilot Kickstool free, set up your library this afternoon, and schedule a real week — staff and volunteers together.

Start your free pilot