RFID Solutions for Library Systems

Institutional (academic) libraries and public libraries face growing challenges in managing the assets of their collection and maintaining or improving service levels to patrons.

Over the past twenty years, libraries have grown their services to their patrons from simply offering books and periodicals to now adding multi-media items such as videos, CDs and DVDs. Add to this the fact that many libraries provide patrons computers to access the Internet as another source for information. Throughout this growth in material resources offered by libraries there are also growing concerns on the security of the collection assets and maintaining (or improving) service levels to the patrons. Throughout this time, many municipalities and institutions who manage our library systems have sought ways to reduce operating budgets (cut staff) to offset the growing capital costs of the multi-media resources and computer hardware.

For the concerns that library managers face each day, RFID technology brings solutions that magnetic stripe or barcode technology simply cannot deliver as effectively. The RFID tag is assigned and attached to the asset in similar ways, depending on the material, paper, plastics, etc. The advantages of RFID tags over barcode or magnetic stripe are as follows:
 

1. Faster scanning of the data stored on the RFID tag,
    
2. Simple and easy way for patrons to self-checking for material loans and returns,
    
3. Superior detection rates,
    
4. Significantly reduce the number of false alarms at the exit sensors (up to 75% less)
    
5. High speed inventory - reducing time to by staff for 'shelf-reading' and other inventory activities,
    
6. Automated return of materials that speeds up sorting of materials and re-shelving for the next patron to access and
    
7. A longer lifecycle than a barcode.
A longer lifecycle than a barcode.