RFID
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems are a technology many libraries use to make materials handling more efficient and to reduce staff workload. If you've never heard of RFID, you may want to start with our RFID Primer which provides a thorough introduction to RFID use in a library context.
Library RFID systems are composed of two primary components: tags and tag readers. The tags are placed inside library material. The readers are placed at staff workstations, self-check machines, and built into security gates. The readers are used to read the information on the tag. One piece of information on the tag is the item’s bar code number. In other words, the readers are used much like barcode scanners are used: to check items in and out, put items in transit to fill holds, and to verify that items have been properly checked out at each library exit.
While RFID technology has been available for a decades, it has only been used in libraries for the last 10 years or so. The slow update in libraries are in part because of the price of the tags and the associated equipment required to make use of the technology and concerns about privacy.
In addition, there has been an ongoing problem with standards, or the lack thereof. This has resulted in vendor lock-in for largely proprietary systems until very recently. However, in March, 2011, ISO finalized the last of the key standards (ISO 28560) and NISO has recommended that U.S. libraries adopt ISO 28560-2 (one of the two options within the ISO standard).
ISO 28560-2 is composed of the same data elements as ISO 28560-3. The data elements themselves are defined in ISO 28560-1. The elements are as follows (per the NISO RFID Seminar on April 20, 2011):
*Primary Object ID - unique identifier such as the barcode number (mandatory)
*Tag Content Key - this explains what else is on the tag (mandatory)
Owner Library - Use ISIL code except in the US, we'll probably use the OCLC code
Set Info - Total in set/Part Number
Type of Usage - e.g. circulating, reference
Shelf Location - probably a call number
ONIX Media Format
MARC Media Format
Supplier Identifier - for publishers
Order Number - for publishers
ILL Borrowing Institution - ISIL or OCLC code
ILL Borrowing Transaction - ILL request number
GSI-13 - ISBN number
There are a few more but the above are the ones it is important to know about so you can think about how you might use them to support your library's workflow. Some libraries are already using RFID tags to keep track of parts in multipart sets and they find it very useful. Writing ILL and borrowing institution could speed up ILL processing and reduce some of the paperwork. Using the destination organization for routing could even make it possible to eliminate the need for routing labels during interlibrary tranfers.
If you are considering implementing RFID, be sure to do your homework first and figure out how you want to use the tags. They are not just glorified barcodes anymore. Take advantage of their read/write functionality!
Also, work with a vendor that will encode the tags according to your needs and according to the ISO 28560-2 standard. This will ensure that your library is compatible with other libraries following the standard. It will also ensure that you you don't end up locked into a particular RFID vendor and their proprietary method of encoding their RFID tags.
