| The RFID-Conversion Project |  |
  Du er her: Forsiden  Projekter The RFID-Conversion Project
|
|
 The RFID-Conversion Project - at Silkeborg Public Library By Peter Birk, Chief Librarian, Silkeborg Public Library Several years ago Silkeborg Public Library began experimenting with chip technology - or RFIDs which is the proper term. To be exact, it was in 1999, and the first deadline was February 7th, 2000. This was also the Library's 100th anniversary, and, we thought, an appropriate take-off for new technology. However, not until the middle of 2004 did the system work properly in our bookmobile, branch library, and main library. The original plan was that we wanted one single system for all kinds of lending materials, to be initiated in one procedure, campaign-style. A Consortium Project For the project a consortium was made consisting of Indbindingscentralen, Bibliotekstjänst, DDE (AXIELL), Ganket A/S (TAG Vision) and Silkeborg Public Library. All these companies have later merged, been dissolved, or are now in new fields. Still a consortium was a very good idea as it enabled the companies to cooperate in the chip development. Which type of RFID? For a long time we experimented with different types of physical layout for the RFIDs: Rectangular ones for books, small chip for cassettes and videos, and circular ones for the compact discs. The technical system for checking out compact discs had to be changed several times, and was tested again and again. User interface was developed and tested by retired person's clubs. Pilot Project at the Branch Library In February 2003, all materials at the branch library, had been equipped with chip. This was the last pilot project, and in May 2004 the main library was closed for a fortnight. 15 work stations were organized with barcode scanners, RFID read and write units, and an off-line program which transferred data from the barcode to the chip in one operation. Each team consisted of three employees. One person who fetched and returned the books to the shelves, one who put in ex libris with the built-in-chip, and one who did the actual conversion from barcode to RFID registration. There was also a special team of technicians, ex libris and everything was thoroughly organized. 130.000 Items Converted There had been big problems en route from getting supplies on time to re-organization of the companies. But as soon as the RFIDs had been delivered - a few hours before take-off - the conversion went smoothly, and we converted 130.000 items well before the last of the 9 working days allocated. The RFID-scanners renewed the loans in the patrons' bags! When the library opened again - with RFIDs - we did it cautiously. At the beginning things went fine, but soon there was a lot of malfunction - this gradually subsided during the following months. We thought we had it all planned but the RFID-scanners at the self-service desks were so efficient that they even renewed the loans in the patrons' bags - and the photoelectric cells in the sorting robot ignored the thin compact discs, so that we had to pad them with cardboard. A lot of inexplicable errors occurred causing PC breakdown - and then suddenly all the screen images on one PC were upside down. The worst problem was - and still is - getting the sorting robot to cooperate faultlessly with the RFID. At first we had a lot of consultations with technicians, an endless wait for spare parts, and a complete overhaul. Since then things have slowly improved, but days with shutdown unfortunately still occur. And there are drawbacks You can scan no more than four compact discs in one box - the anti-theft gate at the door out does not recognize the compact discs if they are too far away - and there is no way you can neutralize several obsolete RFIDs from single issues of periodicals now bound in one single volume with one single RFID. 90% of the loans are now do-it-yourself loans The rest, however, functions very well. You can scan three items at a time. It doesn't matter how you place them - they are recognized immediately. Removing your library card from the card reader releases your receipt, and terminates the self-service process of borrowing. Audio books and other compound library materials cannot be borrowed or returned if a single cassette or compact disc is missing. Everything is done very fast, it is quite easy, and 90% of the loans are now do-it-yourself loans. No standard for what information you may place on the chip Even if the radio frequence is fixed, and a number of the technical protocols are now standardized, there is no standard for what information you may place on the chip, and in which area. You can put a lot of information about placement and statistics in a chip, but a number of failed experiments in USA have made us apprehensive about filling the chip with information that might disturb the self-service process, as you might as well get the information from a computer. The necessary information is identification number and information about circulation status. Apart from that we have accepted to fill in a country code and a library code only. We use dynamic chip so we can change the position of information whenever we want. The non-existent standard is not a problem for us, and it has not been a hurdle in the development. For the Danish National Library Authority (Biblioteksstyrelsen), however, it still remains a problem to be solved. RFIDs at the moment have no greater potential than the bar code Until now we have been concentrating on getting the chip technology to work. Self-service checkout by chip is simpler than self-service with barcode because you can borrow a heap at a time, and things don't have to be placed a certain way for scanning. Also the difficult compound library materials have been taken care of. But besides that, the RFIDs at the moment have no greater potential than the bar code - and they are more expensive. The great advantage lies in the future possibilities of the chip. RFIDs don't have to be visible, and they can be read by a scanner from a distance. Walk along the bookshelves with a portable scanner This means that in the future they can be hidden in the binding of a book in the publishing process, and perhaps be incorporated in the compact disc so that they are impossible to see and remove. The chip can be used for stocktaking at the publisher/bookseller, and later at the library for lending by means of a simple electronical rewrite. Theoretically, it would be possible to walk along the bookshelves with a portable scanner, and find misplaced books or books due for discarding. Imagine bookends with built-in scanners. They could tell you whether the book actually is in place or you can see on the screen if the material is placed different from what you would expect. E.g. a book displayed in an exhibition. You can navigate for a title or a genre not evident from the bibliographic record. You could manufacture intelligent trolleys, that present a review of the books placed on them - or create fairy tale dens that read aloud the books that they see. Perhaps in the future, your loans are registered when you go though the anti-theft gate at the door out, and how about robots that return the books to the shelves at night? It is obvious to use RFIDs for the library cards. In that way, you could use them as keys to the library, and as credit cards. Two new Projects We have now been granted money from Danish National Library Authority's 'Development Pool' (Udviklingspuljen for Folke- og Skolebiblioteker) for two projects involving chip technology. One project is called "The intelligent shelf". We would like to investigate various ways of communicating with the bookshelves. The other project is "The Self-service branch library" where the chip card enables us to develop a branch library where there for some periods of the day is no staff - and, hopefully, no stealing. There is no doubt that the RFID will replace the bar codes, but nobody knows how fast the process goes. Apparently there is a dilemma: Chip and scanners are still too expensive. This prevents widespread use, and only greater demand can lower the prices!  Publiceret September 27, 2005. Webredaktøren. |
|