1. Introduction
RFID is an acronym for radio frequency identification. It is a technology that allows elements, such as a library, to track and transmit radio waves. This technology is similar to the concept of a cell phone.
Radio Frequency Identification or RFID is a broad term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify people or objects. There are several identification methods, but the most common is to save a serial number that identifies a person or an object, and otherwise other information, on a microchip that is attached to an antenna (the chip and antenna are called RFID transponder or RFID tag). The antenna allows the chip to transmit identification information to the reader. The reader converts the radio waves reflected from the RFID tag into digital information, which can then be transmitted to computers that can use it.
2. RFID Content for Libraries
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is the latest technology that will be used in library exchange systems and theft detection systems. RFID-based systems go beyond security to become tracking systems that combine security with more efficient tracking of materials through the library, including easier and faster charging and discharging, inventory and processing of materials.
This technology helps librarians to reduce the amount of time spent by staff on scanning barcodes when checking and checking borrowed items.
RFID is a combination of radio frequency and microchip technology. The information contained on microchips in tags attached to library materials is read using radio frequency technology regardless of orientation or alignment of positions (i.e., the technology does not require direct visibility or a fixed plane to read tags, as traditional theft detection systems do). The RFID gates at the library's output (s) can be four feet wide, as tags can be read up to two feet between two parallel gate output sensors.
2.1 RFID System Components
A complete RFID system has four components:
(1) RFID tags that are electronically programmed with unique information;
(2) readers or sensors for requesting tags;
(3) Antenna; and
(4) A server on which software is loaded that interacts with embedded library software.
2.1.1Tags
The heart of the system is an RFID tag, which can be fixed inside the back cover of a book or directly on CDs and videos. This tag is equipped with a programmable microchip and antenna. Each thin paper contains an engraved antenna and a microchip with a capacity of at least 64 bits. There are three types of tags: read-only, worm and read / write.
“Read-only labels” if the identification is encoded at the time of manufacture and not overwritten.
“WORM” (Write-Once-Read-Many) “tags are programmed using the organization, but without the possibility of rewriting them later.
"Read / write tags", which are selected by most libraries, can change or add information. An RFID library usually contains a portion of a write-protected read / write text, such as an item identification number.
2.1.2 Readers
The reader feeds the antenna to generate a radio frequency field. When a tag passes through a field, the information stored on the chip in the tag is interpreted by the reader and sent to the server, which in turn interacts with the integrated library system when the RFID system is associated with it.
The output RFID output sensors (readers) at the outputs are mainly of two types. One type reads the tag information (s) and sends this information to the server. After checking the access database, the server will turn on the alarm if the material has not been correctly extracted. The other type relies on “stealing” bytes in a tag that is on or off to indicate that the item has been charged or not. Then there is no need to contact the circulation database.
Readers in the RFID library are used in the following ways:
Transformation station - where the library data is written to the tag;
Workplace staff when handling - is used for charging and unloading library materials;
Independent exit station - used to register library materials without the help of staff;
Self-service station - used to check books, etc. Without the help of staff;
Exit sensors - check that all books, etc., that are leaving the library, have been extracted;
Book-drop reader - used for automatic display of library materials and security.
Sorter and conveyor-automated system for returning books, etc. In the proper library;
The manual reader used for inventory and checking books, etc., is properly deferred.
2.1.3 Antenna
The antenna produces radio signals to activate the tag and read and write data. Antennas are channels between a tag and a reader that manages system data and communication failures. The electromagnetic field created by the antenna may be constantly present when multiple marks are expected continuously. Antennas can be embedded in the door frame to receive data tags from a person’s things that pass through the door.
2.1.4 Server
The server is the heart of some integrated RFID systems. This is the communication gateway between the various components. It receives information from one or several readers and exchanges information with the circulation database. Its software includes SIP / SIP2 (Session Initiation Protocol), API (Application Programming Interface) NCIP or SLNP, necessary for interaction with integrated library software. Typically, the server includes a transaction database so that reports can be generated.
2.2 Additional components
An additional RFID system includes the following three components:
1. RFID label printer
2. Hand reader
3. Return of an external book
1. RFID tagging
An RFID printer is used to print tags using an individual bar code, library logo, etc. When printing is applied, it also programmed the data on the chip at the same time. After this process, the RFID tag is taken from the printer and tied to the book. It also checks each RFID tag for the function.
2. Handheld Reader / W Inventory Wand
A portable pocket reader or a wand inventory can be moved along the items on the shelves without touching them. The data comes to the storage unit, which can later be downloaded to the server, or it can go to a device that will transfer it to the server using wireless technology. The inventory wall will cover three requirements:
· Hide the complete collection of books on the shelves for inventory management.
· Search for books that are incorrectly set aside.
· Search for a separate requested book.
Other applications can be recorded for the inventory area, since the system uses a personal data terminal (PDT).
3. Return of an external book
Libraries can offer an excellent service that is very useful for users, such as the ability to return books after hours. An external book return is a machine with a slot with an RFID reader embedded in the wall. It works just like the Self Check-Out Station. The user identifies himself (if required by the library), and then places the book (s) in the slot. Upon completion of its return, the user will receive a receipt of how many and which books were returned. Since they are already registered, they can immediately return to the shelves. These devices can also be used with sorters and conveyor systems.
3. Main RFID characteristics in the library
The reliability of the system, its ease of operation and the flexibility to label all types of media easily, is an important criterion when choosing an RFID system. The main purpose of today's libraries for implementing RFID is the need to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Automation and self-service can help libraries of all sizes achieve these goals, and RFID has the added advantage that it can also provide security for a number of different media offered in libraries. This technology can also improve turnover and inventory control, which helps optimize the allocation of labor and financial resources. This means that libraries can relate to their professional staff from daily work and operational tasks.
All tags used in RFID technology for libraries are “passive.” The ability to read tags originating from the reader or sensor output (reader), and not the battery inside the label.
Several libraries use an “intelligent” card, which is an RFID card with additional encryption, an alternative to simply adding an RFID tag for personal and user ID cards. It not only defines users for the release and return of library materials, but also for access to restricted areas or services. This would make it possible to turn it into a “debit” value-added card after prepayment to the library and with a deductible value when the user used a photocopier, printer or other paid device or wanted to pay fines or fees.
3.1 Fast and simple custom self-charging / discharging
Using RFID reduces the time required to perform circulation operations. This technology helps librarians eliminate costly time spent scanning barcodes by checking and checking borrowed items. For users, RFID speeds up borrowing and return procedures. Library specialists, rather than scanning barcodes all day long in front of a queue of users, are being released for more productive and interesting tasks. Personnel are released when readers are installed in book droplets.
3.2 Reliability
Readers are very reliable. Several suppliers of RFID library systems require an almost 100% detection rate using RFID tags.
Some RFID systems have an interface between output sensors and circulation software to identify items leaving the library. There was a library user who was leaving the library and was not caught, the library, at least, knew what was stolen. If the user card also has an RFID tag, the library will also be able to determine who deleted items without loading them properly.
Other RFID systems encode the access status on an RFID tag. This is done by designating the bits as “theft” and turning it off during charging and during discharge. If a material that has not been properly charged has passed the exit gate sensors, an immediate alarm will be triggered. Another option is to use both the “theft” bit and the online interface for the integrated library system, the first to signal an immediate alarm and the second to determine what was accepted.
3.3 High-speed inventory
The unique advantage of RFID systems is their ability to scan books on the shelves without tilting or removing them. The manual inventory can quickly move through a shelf of books to read all unique identification information. Using wireless technology, you can not only update your inventory, but also identify items that are in the wrong order.
3.4 Automatic processing of materials
Another RFID application is automated material handling. This includes conveyor and sorting systems that can move library materials and sort them into separate bins or carts into categories. This significantly reduces the number of personnel required for finished materials for re-racking.
3.5 Tag expiration date
RFID tags are longer than barcodes, because the technology does not require line of sight. Most RFID providers require a minimum of 100,000 transactions before the tag may need to be replaced.
4. Disadvantages of RFID Systems
4.1 High cost
The main disadvantage of RFID technology is its cost. Although readers and gate sensors used to read information, usually cost between $ 1,500 and $ 2,500 each; and tags cost between $ 0.40 and $ .75 each.
4.2 Accessibility compromise
You can compromise an RFID system by wrapping a protected material in two to three layers of ordinary household foil to block the radio signal. It is also possible to compromise the RFID system by putting two elements into each other so that one tag overlaps the other. This may cancel signals. This requires technology knowledge and careful tuning.
4.3 Removing open tags
RFID tags are usually attached to the inner back cover and exposed for removal. This means that problems will arise when users become more familiar with the role of tags. In Indian libraries, this is a serious problem to keep tags intact.
4.4. Problems with the output sensor (Reader).
While short-range readers used for charging and discharging circulation and inventory seem to read tags in 100% of cases, the performance of the exit gate sensors is more problematic. They don't always read tags up to two times longer than other readers. There is no library that made before and after inventory to determine loss rate when RFID is used for security.
4.5 Invasion of user privacy
Privacy concerns related to tags at the item level are another significant barrier to the use of RFID tag libraries. The problem with today's RFID library system is that the tags contain static information that can be reliably read by unauthorized tag readers. This resolves privacy issues described as “tracking” and “hot list”.
Tracking judges with the ability to track the movement of a book (or a person carrying a book) by “correlating multiple observations of a book's bar code” or RFID tag. Hotlists relate to the process of creating a database of books and associated tag numbers (list of hotlists), and then using an unauthorized reader to determine who is checking items in the list.
4.6 Read collisions
One of the problems encountered with RFID is the signal from one reader, which can interfere with the signal from another, where the overlap is blocked. This is called reader clash. One way to avoid this problem is to use a technique called time division multiple access, or TDMA. In simple terms, readers are instructed to read at different times, and not like trying to read at the same time. This ensures that they do not interfere with each other. But this means that any RFID tag in an area where two readers overlap will be counted twice.
4.7. Clashing with tags
Other problem readers read a lot of chips in one field. Tag failure occurs when more than one chip simultaneously reflects a signal, confusing the reader. Different vendors have developed different systems so that tags respond to the reader one at a time. Since they can be read in milliseconds, it seems that all tags are read at the same time.
4.8 Lack of standard
Tags used by RFID library vendors are incompatible, even if they comply with the same standards as current standards, only for electronic compatibility between tags and readers. Thus, the structure of the coding information and the software that processes the information differs from supplier to supplier, changing the system from one supplier to another will require reinstalling all the elements or changing the software.
5. Best Practices for Libraries
As libraries implement RFID systems, it is important to develop best practice guidelines to make the best use of technology and to protect confidentiality. The following are best practice guidelines for using the RFID library:
· The library should be open in relation to the use of RFID technology, including the provision of publicly available documents defining the rational use of RFID, usage objectives and related policies and procedures, as well as for communication with questions.
· Signs must be inserted on all sites using RFID. Знаки должны информировать общественность о том, что технология RFID используется, типы использования и заявление о защите конфиденциальности и о том, как эта технология отличается от других методов сбора информации.
· Только уполномоченный персонал должен иметь доступ к системе RFID.
· Никакая личная информация не должна храниться в теге RFID.
· Информация, описывающая помеченный элемент, должна быть зашифрована на теге, даже если данные ограничены серийным номером
· Никакая статическая информация не должна содержаться в теге (штрих-код, номер производителя), который может быть прочитан несанкционированными авторами.
· Вся связь между тегом и считывателем должна быть зашифрована с помощью уникального ключа шифрования.
· Все считыватели RFID в библиотеке должны быть четко обозначены.
· Следует использовать теги ISO 18000 mode-2, а не ISO 15693.
6. Установки
Несмотря на то, что на складах и торговых предприятиях по всему миру установлено более 500 000 RFID-систем, системы RFID по-прежнему надежно новые в библиотеках. По состоянию на 2004 год было установлено менее 150 человек.
Большинство установок небольшие, в основном в отраслевых библиотеках. Библиотека Университета Коннектикута; Университет Невады / Библиотека Лас-Вегаса, Венская публичная библиотека в Австрии, Католический университет в Левене в Бельгии и Национальный университет Сингапурской библиотеки - единственные сайты, которые, по-видимому, отметили более 500 000 предметов каждый.
До сих пор в Индии только две университетские библиотеки установили систему RFID. Первая из них - Джаякарская библиотека Университета Пуны, вторая - Библиотека Дханвантри Университета Джамму. Использование RFID через индийские библиотеки займет не менее четырех-пяти лет.
7. Последние изменения
Недавние разработки в области аппаратного и программного обеспечения для RFID-систем увеличили потенциал этой технологии в области автоматизации и безопасности библиотек. Сегодня одним из важных результатов для библиотек является возможность использования непатентованных систем, теперь, когда доступно новое поколение RFID-чипов со стандартом ISO 15693 (для интеграции в ISO 18000-3), & # 39; объясняет д-р Кристиан Керн, менеджер по разработке систем Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems, швейцарской компании, специализирующейся на таких системах для библиотек. С этой технологией библиотеки не должны зависеть от одного поставщика для тегов. Поскольку библиотеки делают долгосрочные инвестиции, которые в основном состоят из количества необходимых тэгов, это очень важное требование. & # 39;
8. Продавцы
Продукты шести производителей библиотечных RFID-систем доступны в Индии через своих бизнес-партнеров: Bibliotheca, Checkpoint, ID Systems, 3M, X-ident technology GmbH, представленные программным обеспечением и системами Infotek в Индии и TAGSYS, последний представлен Tech Logic, Вернон, Либис в Индии и VTLS.
Есть несколько других компаний, которые предоставляют продукты, которые работают с RFID, включая самозаряжаемые станции пользователя и оборудование для обработки материалов.
Conclusion
Из приведенного выше обсуждения совершенно ясно, что система RFID может быть комплексной системой, которая учитывает потребности в безопасности и материалах библиотеки. RFID в библиотеке не представляет угрозы, если руководство по лучшей практике следует религиозно, что ускоряет заимствование книг и инвентаризацию и освобождает персонал, чтобы выполнять больше задач обслуживания пользователей. Технология экономит деньги слишком быстро и дает отдачу от инвестиций.
Что касается проблемы конфиденциальности, важно просвещать сотрудников библиотеки и пользователей библиотек о технологии RFID, используемой в библиотеках, перед реализацией программы.
Для библиотекарей может быть полезно подождать и понаблюдать за разработками в RFID в течение некоторого времени, прежде чем стоимость тегов опустится до $ 0,20 или меньше, а цифра, которую определили библиотекари, является ключом к их серьезному рассмотрению использования технологий.
Хотя библиотечные RFID-системы имеют много общего друг с другом, включая использование высокочастотных (13,56 МГц), пассивных тегов для чтения-записи. Отсутствие стандарта и совместимость тегов, производимых разными поставщиками, является серьезной проблемой при реализации RFID в библиотеках. Существующие стандарты (ISO 15693) применяются к маркировке уровня контейнера, используемой в приложениях цепочки поставок, и не затрагивают проблемы отслеживания и горячего перечисления. Теги следующего поколения (ISO 18000) предназначены для тегов уровня элемента. Новые теги способны разрешать многие проблемы конфиденциальности сегодняшних тегов. Тем не менее, никакие библиотеки RFID-продуктов в настоящее время не доступны с использованием нового стандарта. Помимо того, что стоимость RFID-тегов и оборудования также является серьезной проблемой для библиотек, которые реализуют их в такой развивающейся стране, как Индия.
Recommendations:
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