Introduction
The traditional cumbersome process of library management is being gradually replaced by emerging technological systems that have really enhanced the efficiency of university and public libraries all over the world. One such technology that has had an unprecedented impact on the management of the contemporary library processes is the radio frequency identification. Radiofrequency identification is a technology that uses an object called the radio frequency identification tag. This tag is incorporated into a human being, a product or an animal so that they can be easily be tracked using radio waves. This paper will focus on the application and implementation of the RFID technology in the libraries, giving a case study of the Perth-based Edith Cowan University, which has successfully implemented the RFID technology to manage its library.
What is RFID?
Radiofrequency identification is a technology that uses an object called the radio frequency identification tag. This tag is incorporated into a human being, a product or an animal so that they can be easily be tracked using radio waves. Some powerful RFID tags can be sensed when the subject is meters away from the reader. The RFID has two components: the interrogators (readers) and the tags (Labels). There are two main parts of the TFID tag. The first one is an integrated circuit that is used to store information, modulate and demodulate radio frequencies signals among other functions (Bennet, 2000). The second part is the antenna whose purpose is to receive and transmit the signal. The RFID tags come in different varieties. The most common one is the active RFID tag that has a battery that autonomously transmits signals. There are also passive RFID tags that do not have a battery, meaning that they need an external source so that they can energize the transmission of signals. The third type is the battery-assisted passive RFID, which still needs an external source, but has a powerful forward link capability that provides a more efficient read range. RFID has numerous uses in the modern world and one of its outstanding uses is in management of the supply chain where it is used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of tracking the inventory. However, this paper will zero in on the use of the RFID technology in libraries.
RFID in Libraries
The RFID technology is one of the technological innovations that are being applied in most major libraries around the world. The technology is slowly replacing conventional use of bar codes on various library items like the books, CDs and the DVDs. The bar codes were very cumbersome, time-wasting and did not secure the library materials against pilferage and careless misplacements. However, the RFID tag which is loaded with the identifying data like the title of the book, the author, year of publication or even material type can be easily used to track or trace a book without having to refer to a separate database. A RFID reader that has now replaced the conventional bar code reader that was usually found at the circulation desks of many libraries will read this data. The RFID tag used in libraries is very miniature in size, with a thickness and length of not more than half a centimeter.
The advantage of this miniature reader is that it can be used to replace the bar code or added to the bar codes meaning that the libraries do not have to dispose of the bar codes because the RFID technology can fit in them (Monahan, 2007). The kind of service that the RFID technology is giving to both the users and the servants in the library is unprecedented because it has made everything easier. A library can be a hectic place, with all the thousands of books and materials to maintain an inventory of. However, with the entry of the RFID technology, the inventory management of the library has been upgraded and the borrowers can now profit from the self-service facility that the technology offers thus reducing delays and cumbersome inconveniences. Apart from inventory, the RFID also acts as a security apparatus, replacing the conventional magnetic strip that was not that effective in the management of the security of the library materials.
The history of the utilization of the radio frequency identification technology in libraries is controversial with the debate on when the usage of the technology still raging. However, the proposition for the use of the RFID technology in a library setting to improve workflow was made in the late 90s. The first country to use the technology in libraries was Singapore. The technology reached US in late 1999 when the New York Rockefeller University and the University of Michigan became the first to adopt the technology. In Europe, the technology was first used in Holland and it reached Australia soon after with numerous universities adopting the technology (Landt, 2004). More than ten years after the introduction of the technology in the library setting, it is now documented that there are more than 30 million library items around the world that have the RFID tags.
Benefits of the RFID Technology in Libraries
Saves Time
There are many benefits that a library can accrue from the usage of the RFID tags. The personnel who enjoy most of these benefits are the circulations staff. The RFID tag can be read through an item that means that the circulation staff does not have to waste time scanning the items. The RFID will work out the necessary bits by itself reducing the workload of the staff at the same time, improving the efficiency of the delivery. This process could also reduce the motion injuries that are repetitive in the library items because of the presence of the bar code on the outside.
The RFID reader can scan an entire pile of books meaning that the staff does not have to waste time going through the books one by one (Fisher, 2000). The main advantage is that the tags can also be read while in motion, so, the returned items can be read when they are in a conveyor belt, thus reducing the workload of the staff and time wastage especially when the identification of the returned books has to be done manually.
Efficiency
With the RFID technology, an inventory of a single shelf of library items numbering hundreds or even thousands can be conducted within seconds, without having to move the books from the shelves. In Melbourne, the technology has been used to help visually impaired learners to borrow audio items from the libraries. In the same city, there are RFID smart shelves that can pinpoint the location of any book within the library in the shortest time possible.
The Edith Cowan University is working on the concept of a context library that is interactive where the library users are given a headphone set or a reader that can lead them to their section of interest in the library using the concept of triangulation like the one that is found in GPS. These can be used to read the information from the books when they are still on the shelves with a refined level of detail (ECU, 2007).
Personalized services
The tag can provide a section loud out from any database giving alternatives and tips that are tailored towards the preferences of the library user. This means that the university is trying to use the RFID technology to create a personalized version of a library. This innovation can also help the users to go to other sections of the library that they might not visit at all in ordinary circumstances. This format can also be used interactively by the borrowers to exchange book-based experiences, like grading books at the return desk so that subsequent users can know the books that are being preferred by most of the other users in diverse disciplines.
Weaknesses of the RFID Technology
Cost Implication: On the flip side, this technology can be too costly for small libraries. An average-sized library can take up to eleventh months to complete the conversion process. Secondly, the use of the RFID has reduced the workload of the library staff by half rendering most of the staff redundant.
Loss of Jobs: Since the technology was introduced, the number of staff needed in the libraries has reduced and very many people have lost their jobs in the process. This is because the RFID technology has enabled the libraries to cut their personnel cost so that they can invest in more automation infrastructure that will see further reduction of the personnel size.
Humanitarian Gap: The other disadvantage of the use of the RFID technology is that it creates a humanitarian gap in the library. Though the technology brings the element of self-service, speed and efficiency, there are primary tasks of the librarian that the RFID cannot undertake and this means that the library staff should be there to give customer service facility, like answering questions from the library users.
Privacy: The other issue with the use of the radio frequency identification technology in libraries is that of privacy. The tags, dependent on the strength of it reader and the transmitter can be read from variable distances that can extend to more than 100 meters. Since the radio frequency identification utilizes various frequencies, there is concern that the technology can collect information from unauthorized sources (Hill, 2000). This information could be sensitive especially if the tags contain patron information. The library authorities therefore can decide to complicate or nullify the respect given to the privacy of the readers. This privacy can be maintained if the records are destroyed after the return of the materials. The other privacy-related issue with the technology is that a non-library agency can mischievously record the tags of every user that is leaving the premises without the knowledge and consent of the library administration.
Solutions: The library authorities should therefore mitigate this occurrence by ensuring that the book or the item is let to transmit a code that has a meaning in reference to the database in the library meaning that it would ineffective outside that database. The other mitigation procedure would be to give a book a different code every time it is returned and in case of user being ubiquitous through a variety of networks, it would be possible to locate stolen books even outside the library.
Case Study: Edith Cowan University Library: This section will look at the use of the RFID technology in the Edith Cowan University found in the city of Perth in Australia. There were some challenges that forced the university to adopt the radio frequency identification technology. One of these challenges is that the staff at the university would manually scan individual library items in the process of handling and dissemination. This meant that the most valuable resources in the library focused their attention on time-consuming checks and management of inventory as patrons got inconvenienced and tired in long waiting lines (ECU, 2007). This was having a toll on the efficiency of the library because very few customers would be served on a particular day under the manual process, which placed heavy demands on the library staff. The university realized that there was a need to automate its library towards the end of last decade and it contacted some technological partners in order to implement an automated system that could streamline the workflow of the library. This is why the university settled on the RFID technology to help in the management of the library.
When the technology was implemented, it replaced the traditional bar code system of tracking and the new solution proved to be very beneficial to the library in many more realms than the university had projected. The check-in checkout process is bow faster; holding of information is now accurate while pilferage of library items has gone down markedly.
How it Works
The inside back cover of every book in the Edith Cowan university library is tagged with a square RFID tag label which has been inserted into each book. The CDs and the DVDs are tagged with a RFID transponder that is round in shape at the inside of the circular label. This helps the CDs and the DVDs to maintain their balance so that they can play properly because the tag does not interfere with its capability to play (Fisher, 2006). Each RFID tag is programmed with the corresponding id number of the item and the anti-theft protection particle is activated.
While it is processing the outbound item, the RFID station deactivates the anti-theft functionality RFID tag of the item automatically. The tag then triggers an alert that goes to the security gate in case someone tries to leave with a book that has not been checked inside the library. Also, when the item is returned the anti-theft functionality is activated as it passes through the RFID station. The database in the library will then automatically be updated when the item checks back into the library and is loaned into circulation. Each item in the Edith Cowan university library has a RFID tag that has been attached and the tag contains data that checks the resource on heritage and the library systems of management.
The Outcomes
Loses from pilferage of library resources can be immense, costing libraries thousands of dollars. Edith Cowan University has reduced the pilferage costs by almost 100% since the technology was adopted. This is because the RFID provides enhanced security of the materials and even the building itself. Its high-quality surveillance ability can help it to identify the cause of an alarm and the enhanced security in the library has led to the introduction of the self-service methods because there are no fears of pilferage anymore. Apart from increasing speed and efficiency in the library, the RFID technology can be used to conduct an appraisal of the library because it can document the numbers of visits made in a certain period, the number and types of items used in the library and the response of the users of the library materials through the grading system.
Current library trends in the university indicate that the students are more likely to take the library resources out of the library and use them at the comfort of their personal study rooms meaning that the incorporation of the RFID technology has allowed a smooth transaction at the circulation desk while at the same time saving the university from risks associated with the security of the books (ECU, 2007). The RFID technology in the Edith Cowan university library has also helped the library staff to easily facilitate access to all manner of library resources and track how they are being used creating a perfect platform for decision making on the future provisions that have to be made in the library. The Edith Cowan University has therefore managed to fully upgrade its library by putting an IT suite full of equipment because of the high security that is offered to the contents of the library through the use of the RFID technology.
The Future
At the moment, there is an exploration to find out the potential for a full self-service system in the library by many institutions. This is because the management of several institutions believes that this will completely free up the staff providing a forum where the staff will have a one to one contact with the students. Several institutions also want to develop the technology further so that, apart from management of resources and security provision, the technology could be used in the process of planning using the data that the technology collects. Research and development are being done to be able to install a sorting system that will automatically place returns in the correct bin and prepare the library materials for transportation to their specific destinations. This will help in the freeing up of resources, creating better conditions of work and improve the service it offers, further. Various institutions’ management will now be able to free up as many members of staff as possible, not because they want to render them redundant, but because they want to use them for community outreach where they will organize more events to promote their services. Still, health complications associated with the physical work in the library will reduce and this will reduce the institutions’ expenses on employee health (ECU, 2007).
Apart from the Edith Cowan University, many other universities are also developing the RFID technology to manage their libraries in an effective way. In the future, most libraries will shift from the manual to the technical application of the RFID technology. Even in the third world countries, the technology is being applied in countries like Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Implementation
According to Young (2000) “The modern networks that utilize bar codes have a higher probability of supporting RFID.” These two technologies have the capability to deliver data to a wide range of systems; however, the bar codes utilize periodic data while RFID is a two-way technology (Young, 2000). This means that data can be delivered from multiple tags in an effective manner in a parallel motion without even requiring human intervention. For the RFID to be implemented appropriately there needs to be a software bridge or a middleware that is incorporated into the overall setup to control the amount of data that gets into the architecture at any particular time. This means that the implementation process requires data filtering and the management of data flows so that the two-way flow is serialized into a legacy system that can handle the data flow especially in busy stations like a library. The other consideration that has to be made is the room for extra bandwidth in the network because the efficiency of the system depends on how much RFID increases the overall amount of data flow within that network. The network should always be able to handle additional traffic with the speed needed by the various applications that are supposed to support. This means that the technology needs to be re-engineered so that it can meet the various demands of various packaging so that it can achieve a performance that is optimal from the applied system. In the case of a business-related process, the whole system may need a new design to ensure that the obstacles that prevent the technology from being applied in a particular case are removed.
RFID in supply chain management
In the realm of supply chain management, RFID technology will be a major advance. Libraries can still extend the use of the technology to manage their supply chains but they will need to conduct a considerable advance planning and testing so that they can successfully do an integration and implementation of the technology (Monahan, 2007). The RFID systems have a very significant impact on every facet of supply chain management and the libraries can benefit from the technology in the management of the wide range of stocks that they have. From the requisition process of the library material to the final inventory, the RFID systems can play very major roles that can help in the efficient management of the library resources.
The first way in which RFID can be used in the supply chain management in this department is in the management of the different types of stocks. The RFID tags have unique serial identifiers that have information that will associate every lot of the delivered stock with an appropriate bill sent from the supplier. The reader has the ability to tag very many times within a fraction of a second meaning that the serial identifier will bar the system to make data requests that can bring about a multiplicity of counts of the same items, which may be the biggest concerns of those who are still cagey about using the technology in the supply chain management. In the supply chain management, the libraries would rather use the passive tags because they are inexpensive and the process is bound to use many of them at a go. The active ones may not be very necessary for library materials because they do not have the sensitivity to external environment meaning that they do not have to be kept at optimum temperatures, like in the case of perishables and electronics.
Conclusion
The use of the RFID systems in the supply chain management will help to ease the transactional challenges that take place between the destination of the goods and the consumers because it makes the process, fast and efficient, removing the conventional cumbersome procurement procedures that might limit the tare of delivery of supplies and also complicate the procurement process. When the library orders stock that has to be shipped, the standards set by the RFID technology will really help in simplifying the electronic transactions between the suppliers and the recipient library and this is the fundamental principle of enterprise resource planning that uses data enterprise applications to determine the scanning process and how the middleware handles the data that has been scanned by the RFID scanners (Monahan, 2007). The bottom line is that the RFID technology is a very efficient method of removing the barriers that are in the line of supply chain, making the management of supplies and transactions involved easier and more efficient.
Reference
Bennet, G., 2000. Surveillance and Security. Oxford: Oxford University publishers.
Edith Cowan University, 2007. ECU: The University for the Information Age. ECU Press.
Fisher, J., 2000. Digital Revolution: A Case Study. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Fisher, J., 2006. In-door Positioning and Digital Management. New York: Routledge.
Hill, B., 2000. Technological Politics and Power in Everyday Life. New York: Routledge.
Elbert, H. 2000. Digital Technology and Management: NJ : Prentice Hall
Landt, J. 1998). Efficient Technologies : NY : Sage
Landt, J., (2001). Shrouds of Time: The history of RFID. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Monahan, T., 2007. Tracking the Business Dimensions of RFID Systems. Cambridge university publishers.
Young, D., 2000. Emerging Surveillance Regimes in Libraries. New York: Willey.