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Presentation | ||
Next generation Libraries can enhance the efficiency of the circulation system by introducing a RFID (Radio Frequency
Identification Systems). This system has many advantages over the barcode based systems.
You RFID System
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a generic term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the
form of a unique serial number) of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves. It's grouped under the broad
category of automatic identification technologies.
A typical RFID tag consists of a microchip attached to a radio antenna mounted on a substrate. The chip can store as
much as 2 kilobytes of data. For example, information about a product or shipment—date of manufacture, destination and
sell-by date—can be written to a tag.
To retrieve the data stored on an RFID tag, you need a reader. A typical reader is a device that has one or more antennas
that emit radio waves and receive signals back from the tag. The reader then passes the information in digital form to a
computer system.
| What are the benefits of RFID over barcode technology? | ||
| Visibility | Works in any direction, does not require line of sight |
Directional, requires line of sight |
| Read range | Between 4 and 80cm (1.5 - 31 inches) using passive tags, up to 100 metres (328 feet) using active tags |
Typically 15 - 30cm (6 - 12 inches) |
| Read rate | Up to 200 tags per second | Limited to rate at which objects can be physically located in front of scanner |
| Automation | No human intervention required | No human intervention required |
| Data storage | Up to 4 KB using passive tags and 32KB using active tags |
None |
| Durability | Withstands harsh environments (snow, rain, sunlight), and dirty environments (dirt, dust, moisture and oil) and will last for decades. |
Prone to scratching and tearing |
| Flexibility | Tags can be packaged for a wide variety of applications (consumer goods, animal tracking, vehicle tracking, personnel logging) |
Must be located on outside of package,
on a relatively flat surface |
| Environment | Low frequency technology can read tags located underground |
Cannot read without line of sight |
| Security | Near impossible to replicate | Simple to replicate |
Libsuite RFID offers is specially designed for Indian conditions. The RFID system is a modular device which can be
connected to a standard PC and can work in Return, Issue, Tagging or EAS mode. The RFID station is designed so that it
should be able to operate in a self-registration manner. So adequate care has been to taken at the design stage.
Issue operation: To issue books the system will guide to place the member card plus the books to be issued on the
RFID
station. One can
issue maximum 9 books in one go but the cumulative height of the books should not be more than
20
cms. It is highly recommended to issue around 5 books for a consistence operation.
The system can check for various errors like multiple members cards, issue limits, reference documents etc. Normal
speed of operation for five books is less than a second.
Return Operation: Place the books to be returned along with the Member ID on the RFID station. If all the books are
returnable, the same will be returned back . In case there is any error eg, if there is fine or the books is not issued, an
error will be flagged.
Tagging: Before using any RFID system , one has to associate a RFID tag with every book and every member. The
tagging operation is done reading a barcode of a book and associating a tag with the same. Similarly for a member
number and a tag will be associated.
EAS: EAS is Electronic Article Surveillance. It is used for detecting that no book is going out of the library without being
scanned. The EAS can be done by either installing a special purpose antenna at the gate or by setting the RFID station in
EAS mode scanning one book at a time.
