30-06-2014, 10:44 AM
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): Its Usage and Libraries
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Abstract
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is one of the most exciting technologies that
revolutionize the working practices by increasing efficiencies, and improving profitability.
The article provides details about RFID, its components, how it works, and its usage in
different sectors i.e. retail sales and supply chains, livestock industry, courier services,
military and prisons, automobiles and logistics, entertainment industry, publishing
industry, wireless transaction, and, especially, in LIBRARIES. The article also presents an in
depth analysis of RFID uses in Libraries with implementation roadmap, its impacts on
libraries, and a comparison of major vendors and their products.
Introduction
Muhammad Rafiq holds a Masters in Library and Information Science and is presently
serving as Librarian (In-charge) of the National Textile University Faisalabad, Pakistan. He
has also served Government College University Lahore, Pakistan as librarian. He can be
contacted at: National Textile University, Sheikhupura Road, Faisalabad-37610, Pakistan.
E-mail: rafiqlibrarian[at]yahoo.com; and rafiqlibrarian[at]gmail.com
RFID: USAGE AND LIBRARIES
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Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one of today's most exciting and fastest growing
technologies for increasing efficiencies and improving profitability. RFID is a combination of
a computer chip and a small radio antenna that allows almost any object to "self-identify."
Originally developed for use in World War II, the British used it to identify their planes. The
new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) first appeared in the early 1980s where it was
used for: item tracking and access control applications. These wireless automatic
identification data capture systems allow for non-contact reading or writing of data and are
highly effective in manufacturing and other hostile environments where barcode labels can
not survive. Since the 1980’s, RFID has established itself in a wide range of markets
including livestock, retail sales, wireless transactions, courier and logistics, publishing,
automated vehicle identification systems, etc.
RFID usage in different sectors
RFID applications are fueling a quiet business revolution that promises to speed up
inventory and payment systems and change our lives. RFID is, in fact, already pervasive in
our lives. Used to track everything from pets to prisoners to products.
Booth-Thomas (2003) states that more than 50 million pets worldwide are tagged with RFID
chips. At least 20 million livestock have RFID tags to follow them before possible disease
breakthrough. US military used it in Iraq to electronically search supplied and keep tabs on
hospital patients. A report of IDTechEx titled as “One trillion tags in 2005” (July 14, 2004)
forecasted that it may be 2015 before one trillion items are RFID tagged in one year.
Another report of IDTechEx titled as “RFID market forecast” (May 24, 2004) stated
“Datamonitor forecast a $ 5-20 billion European market for intelligent tags and their
equipment in year 2005… The leaders in smart labels are each shipping 60 to 120 million
chip tags a year. Philips, a supplier of RFID chips says global consumption for smart labels is
around 1.9 billion units in 2004.”
RFID in the global livestock industry
The recent outbreaks of diseases such as BSE (mad-cow disease), FMD (foot and mouth
disease) exploded the rate of adoption of RFID technology to tag animals. Napier (2004)
states that animal tagging is likely to become one of the worlds largest markets for RFID
tags over the next ten years, with around 600 million tags per year being used in the year
2014.
Using RFID in the cattle industry is far from a new idea. Texas Instruments, one of the
largest manufacturers of RFID transponders, got into the RFID business after being asked to
develop a chip suitable for a cattle-tracking trial in Holland back in 1989. Booth-Thomas
(2003) tells that more than 20 million head of cattle have been tagged worldwide. But that
number pales when one considers that the United States alone has a population of 98
million head. There are about 1 billion head of cattle worldwide.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has approved standards for animal
RFID tags, and the technology has improved in recent years. Adoption is picking up in
Europe, Australia and Canada. Sales of animal RFID tags worldwide this year are expected
to reach $37 million. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of nearly
30 percent over the next four years.
RFID and casino chips
Entertainment is now a significant area for experimentation with technology and social
practices. Instant messaging, P2P, and blogging all started out as fun, and have migrated
RFID: USAGE AND LIBRARIES
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(or are in the process of migrating) into the workplace. Of course, entertainment is also a
big industry, which drives other technological innovations and experiments.
Hecht (2003) reports that casinos are looking at putting RFID tags into their chips. The
chips will be launched later in 2004 and will allow casino operators to spot counterfeits and
thefts, and also to monitor the behaviour of gamblers.. Counterfeit chips have long been a
problem for casinos, and houses routinely mark their chips with inks visible only in infrared
or ultraviolet light.
Automobiles with automated vehicle identification system
By the virtue of RFID, Automated vehicle Identification System has shown remarkable and
significant results. People are able to track automobiles of personal use or in logistics.
Booth-Thomas (2003) also tells us that traces of RFID use in automobiles goes back to
1993. When companies like Taxes Instruments collaborated with carmakers to deter theft.
Taxes Instruments working with the Ford Motor Co., came up with a key that literally talks
to a car. Use the wrong key, and the car is immobilized. RFID transponders are now in 7 out
of 10 cars, and car theft is down.
Wireless transaction
Today Taxes Instrument is turning its efforts to consumer application like wireless
transactions, helping American Express launch Express Pay, an alternative to cash for
purchases where speed and convenience are important, such as at fast food restaurants,
gas stations and dry cleaners
RFID in publishing
At this stage of its development, RFID has both useful and unsettling implications for
publishing, but it is clearly a technology worth watching. While the ability to track products
through the supply chain makes RFID appealing to the book industry and the price of the
chips is steadily declining. Among the issues that need resolving are the need for publishers,
distributors, and bookstores to add new software to their systems; the cost and deployment
of radio readers; and managing the deluge of data suddenly rushing into companies'
systems as cartoons, skids and all other RFID-bearing items move through the distribution
chain
Conclusion
Patron satisfaction has become crucial for librarians. Today, many libraries are turning to
RFID technology for it has proven to bring convenience and efficiency in item management
through the automation of workflow processes. It has also proven to significantly improve
customer service.
The RFID tags in libraries offer the possibility of great increases in productivity and hold a
promise of better service for the patrons. The tags are “powerless”, have a very small read
range, store a minimum amount of data (normally a barcode) and carry no patron data on
the tags. All these factors make privacy concerns almost non-existent at this time. It is
therefore important to work with a vendor that understands patron privacy concerns and
builds systems that will minimize the risk for the patrons.
RFID in libraries, just part of RFID in a larger scheme. Library community should conduct a
comprehensive technology assessment of RFID as soon as possible to enable librarians to
make the best possible decisions involving the implementation of this technology. The
library community is a leader in protecting intellectual freedom and user privacy. Libraries
have an opportunity to be societal leaders and a "model industry" in the way in which they
adopt RFID-based circulation and ILS systems. What we need to do is to be responsive and
strong about saying we want to use this technology, so make it possible for us to do that.