RFID Implementation in

Libraries

Nabi Hasan, Ph.D.

Librarian & Head, Central Library
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Email: [email protected]
 Outline of Presentation
• Background of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Need of RFID
• Feasibility and Planning
• Check list & Best practices in Deployment
• Tendering
• Components
• How does Library RFID System Work
• Major Advantages
• Limitations
• Barcode vs. RFID; EM vs. RFID; Hybrid Technology
• Book ATMs
• Impact Study of RFID Implementation @IIT Delhi
• RFID Vendors with presence in India and sub-continent
• RFID in Indian Libraries
• Global Scenario
• Conclusion
 Background
• Britishers first pioneered the RFID technology during the World War II for their Aircraft
identification.
• In the late 1960s, US Government began using RFID to tag and monitor nuclear and other
hazardous materials.
• The first US patent for an active RFID tag with re-writable memory was obtained by Mario
E. Cardullo on January 23, 1973.
• RFID in India saw its beginning in the 1940s for Defence applications. First time, it was
used for commercial purpose in 1980 for cattle tracking applications.
• The first library RFID suppliers started to market their systems in mid 1990s.
• Today, RFID is used for automatic toll collections, access control, security, tracking objects
and humans in shops, libraries, hospitals, etc.
 Need of RFID
• Branding
• Faster Check-out
• Faster Check-in
• Faster Renewal
• Library Security
• Faster Inventorying
• Tracking the misplaced documents
• Limitations of Barcode Technology and EM
• Saving in Time & Staff
• Streamlined transactions - can be used to identify, track, sort or detect library holdings

Refer to the Advantages and Comparison part for more details...

 Implementation
Start
Why you want RFID?
Begin with
your goals
Identify Where RFID will deliver value to
your Library and its Customers

Plan

Implementation

Ready your organization for change

 Feasibility and Planning
• Smooth implementation requires thorough planning
• Before implementation, feasibility of the system is necessary
• Committee may be constituted with experts and administrators
• Committee may assess the requirements for the institution, budget availability,
required hardware and software, cost effectiveness, availability of manpower, time
line, etc.
• Gaining management approval may be a big challenge as it may look into the
Return on Investment (RoI)
• The committee should see some demos and visit the libraries where the system is
successfully running
• Methodology for implementation can be divided into many phases
• Data validation is most important before actually starting the tagging work
 Check List & Best Practices in Deployment
• Budget availability and flexibility
• Privacy policy, standards of RFID Tags & Equipments.
• Purpose specification: Library users must be given information of the purposes for
which tags and readers are used
• Robustness (scalability, accuracy, etc.)
• Time bound to implement the new technology, maintenance and service from the
vendor for the RFID components
• Training and experience, end-user confusion
• Accountability: The library must inform its users as to whom they can contact for
questions and complaints
 Balanced RFID Committee

• Domain Expert
• Administration
• Audit
• Account
• Library Team, etc.
 Tendering …
• Tendering is the most important and difficult process for the implementation of the system
especially in case of govt. institutions
• A good tender document should look into all the minute details of the technical, administrative
and functional aspects
• If the tender document is fool proof then there may not be any problem in its implementation
• The feasibility report prepared by the committee may help in this regard
• The tender may have two parts; Technical Bid and Financial Bid (generally e-procurement for
govt. tenders)
• Ask for customer references & arrange site visits and discuss your concerns with them
• Judge vendors’ technology know-how for products to be supplied
• Incomplete, vague and conditionally submitted bids should not be considered
• The bidder should have sufficient successful practical experience of supply, installation, testing,
commissioning and post commissioning
 Tendering
• The items to be supplied should be of proven good quality with makes having globally
accepted presence and compatible with global standards
• Supplied Equipments should allow forward compatibility with anticipated new standards
• Proven capability of vendor to integrate the proposed solution with multiple LMS for future
safety (with built-in SIP2/NCIP/NISO recommended)
• Issues related to onsite training, warranty, service and AMC should have been clearly
mentioned
• The validity of the successful bid should clearly be desired by the institute with a clear delivery
schedule
• Payment should be made after satisfactory installation and commissioning
• The institute may also think to retain some security money for the post commissioning period
for a couple of years
 Technical Bid Details
• Migration part if any
• Middleware
• Multi purpose RFID Staff Station
• Tag Details
• Smart Card Details
• Integrated Self Check-In/Out Station
• Book Drop Box
• EAS Pedestal RFID Gates
• People Counter
• Shelf Management System/Portable Hand Held Readers
• Reader Specifications
• Antenna Specifications
• Job Work
• Training
• Post Installation Services, etc.
 Financial Bid

• Prices should be Turn-key basis with all the details, like:

• RIFD Tags – Total Unit, Unit Per Tag, Total Tags
• RFID Smart Card System
• Multi-purpose RFID Staff Station
• Integrated Self Check-In/Out Station
• Library Security Gate/EAS Pedestal
• Book Drop Box
• Shelf Management System
• RFID Server Layer for Integration or RFID Software
• Job Work
• Post Warranty AMC Charges
RFID@IITD-Kiosk Interface

Courtesy- LibSys/IIT Delhi

RFID–How it Works-Login Screen–Staff Station

Courtesy- LibSys/IIT Delhi

RFID Default Main Menu, tailored for IITD-
LSmart based
RFID – User Account
RFID – Check Out Books
RFID – Check Out Books
RFID – Check Out Processed Mail
RFID – Check In Processed

Courtesy- LibSys/IIT Delhi

RFID – Check In Processed Mail
RFID – Tagging a Book…
RFID – Tagging a Book
RFID – Patron Tagging
 Staff Workstation
Used for the issue, return, renewal by the staff in the Library and also for label personalization/tagging, etc.
 Exit Sensors /EAS Pedestal
• Gate Antennas issue a warning signal and activate the alarm system if a document pasted with a label is
leaving the premises without an authorized issue/outward entry into software
• It may also be used to count the incoming/outgoing people with a facility to record their movement
• The system may be integrated with electronic counter, webcam trigger, CCTV recordings, etc.
Integrated Self-Issue/Return & Book Drop
Drop Box Drop Box facility
Self Check-out/In
Different Drop partitions for different collections

Courtesy- Ithaca Public Library, New York

 Patron/Smart cards
These cards can also be used as an institute ID card, for paying fees, fines, printing or other fee-based services;
for gaining Internet access; for photocopying and more

IIT Delhi vs. Cornell, USA

 Shelf/Inventory Management System
Portable Shelf scanner allows library staff to take inventory and find wrongly shelved
books without having to pull the books off the stacks. It is very useful for stock verification
purpose
 Security and Surveillance

Security System Gates CCTV Surveillance

Thermal Imaging People Counter Security and Surveillance at IITD Central Library
Stock Verification using RFID
(LSmart/Main Menu)
RFID Parameters
 Components
RFID tag (or transponder): These are paper-thin smart labels which are electronically programmed, consisting
of an integrated circuit and antenna coil that communicates with a reader by means of a radio frequency signal.
Many types of RFID tags are available, viz. Active, Passive, HF/UHF/Hybrid… etc.
 Inside the Tag

2
Paper thin 50x50mm Tag Details
with at least 1024 bits
ISO 15693/18000-3 compliant

Read-only or
Read/writable

Storage capacity varies

Tags come in many flavors:

passive, battery assisted, active,
different frequencies, various
anti-collision technologies,
printed/wire wounded antenna,
etc.
 Tag Details
Parameter Active RFID tags Passive RFID tags

Power source Internal Energy transferred from the reader

Power availability Continuous When it is in the field of the reader

Communication range Long range Short range

Data storage Large Small
Signal strength from tag to reader High Low

Signal strength from reader to tag Low High

Weight 120-130 grams 6-54 grams

Capabilities Read/write Read only
Operational life Five to ten years Unlimited
Memory 2 MB Up to 16 KB
Approx. Cost Rs. 25 Rs. 15
 Operating Frequencies
Band LF HF UHF Microwave
Low frequency High frequency Ultra high frequency
Frequency 30–300kHz 3–30MHz 300 MHz–3GHz 2–30 GHz

Typical RFID 125–134 kHz 13.56 MHz 433 433MHz or 2.45 GHz
Frequencies 865 – 956MHz
2.45 GHz
Approximate less than 0.5 metre Up to 1.5 metres 433 MHz = up to 100 metres Up to 10m
read range 865-956 MHz = 0.5
to 5 metres

Typical data less than 1 Approximately 433–956 = 30 kbit/s Up to 100

transfer rate kilobit per 25 kbit/s 2.45 =100 kbit/s kbit/s
second (kbit/s)
Characteristics Short-range, Higher ranges, Long ranges, high Long range,
low data reasonable data data transfer rate, high data
transfer rate, rate (similar to concurrent read of transfer rate,
penetrates GSM phone), <100 items, cannot cannot
water but not penetrates water penetrate water or penetrate
metal but not metal metals water or
metal
Typical use Animal ID Smart Labels Specialist animal Moving
Car Contact-less tracking vehicle toll
immobiliser travel cards Logistics
Access & Security
 RFID Reader (or Interrogator)
RFID reader consists of a transmitter, receiver, antenna and a decoder. It communicates with
RFID tags, identify them and receive data stored in the tag.
 Application Software/Middleware/RFID Server
Layer

• Used for Integration with RFID devices and the LMS

• Provides reader connectivity to other systems on the network
• Translates data and transmits to its other applications
• It is used for the reader to transmit or receive data from a tag. Software integrates the reader
hardware with the existing library automation software for seamless functioning of
circulation section.
 Server/Docking Station

• It is one on which the software that interfaces with the integrated library automation
software is loaded.
• The server is the heart of comprehensive RFID system. It is the communication gateway
amongst the various components.
• It receives the information from one or more of the readers and exchanges information with
the circulation database.
• Its software includes the API (Applications Programming Interface), necessary to interface
it with the automated library system. The server typically includes a transaction database so
that reports can be produced.
Patron/ Smart Card Printer
 People Counter
• RFID system may also have the facility to record the movement of incoming/outgoing
members of the library with their details.
• If a library member is passing through the EAS pedestals with a Smart Card, its
movement is recorded with details which helps in maintaining the statistics and other
details for various uses.
 Integrated Robotic Circulation System & Smart
Library System
• Some of the libraries in developed countries like USA are also using the Robots for circulation, integrated with the
RFID system
• Books/documents in this system are arranged in different enclosures and not as per the classified order to enable the
robot to identify the required documents for the users for the issue and then to place it back after return at its original
location
• Use of Smart shelves, Smart accessioning, Sorters, Dispensers, Conveyer belts
Examples: Mansueto Library, University of Chicago; Valparaiso University, Indiana; Colgate University, Hamilton, NY,
USA, etc.
See the Video/Details at: http://singularityhub.com/2011/05/24/robots-not-humans-retrieve-your-books-at-81-million-
library-of-the-future-video/
 Book ATMs
The machine is a sort of "book dispenser" similar to an ATM in many aspects, which allows library
card holders to borrow and return books without needing to visit a library. There are also the Book
ATMs which are used for book selling.

Book dispenser machine in Dongguan (www.lias.nccu.edu.tw)

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2006/12/01/8395114/index.htm
http://www.newsgd.com/news/guangdong1/content/2009-09/15/content_5794176.htm
 RFID Standards for Libraries
• Important ISO standards pertinent to library RFID systems: ISO/IEC 15693, ISO/IEC 18000-3, ISO 28560, ISO
14443A
• These standards works on 13.56 MHz frequency
• The tags and the equipments used may carry the FCC & EN-ETSI Certifications
• They may follow the NCIP V2.0 or SIP2 protocol
• Voltage : 230 Volt
• Data Interface: RS-232

http://www.iso.org
http://www.iec.ch
 Library RFID Diagram

(Source: http://www.123seminarsonly.com/CS/RFID-Based-Library-Management-System.html)
 How does Library RFID System work?
• The RFID reader sends out electromagnetic waves in the RF (Radio Frequency) spectrum
• When the tag enters the RF field, the tag’s electronic circuits are powered by energy from the RF field
• The tag then modulates the waves and sends them back to the reader
• The reader converts the signals received from the tag into digital data and sends it to the host computer
 Major Advantages
• Hassle free issue/return/renewal
• Increases the security function in library
• Flexible library timings by use of Self Charging and Book Drop Kiosk
• Quick Inventorying, shelf reading, re-shelving, sorting, searching, weeding and exception finding
• Enhanced customer services and improved process efficiency
• Highly reliable, claims an almost 99.9 percent detection rate
• RFID tags last longer than barcodes
• EAS exit gates have an option to keep record of incoming and outgoing library users
• Fingerprint or Picture may also be integrated with the RFID
 Limitations
• High cost
• Technology still developing, Interoperability and Standardization issues
• Integration problem of RFID solution with the software/hardware
• RFID system may be compromised with certain devices/conditions
• Moisture, metal, mist, distance and incorrect positioning of antennas may affect functioning
• Physical damage to the tags/removal by the library users
• Documents like magazines, pamphlets, CDs, DVDs may not have good location for bulky RFID
tags and tag cost is also significant in their case
• Transition phase may lead to a chaos
• Privacy and Ethical issues
• Vendor support and technology compatibility issues
• Annual maintenance charges of post warranty period are very high
• Training/adoption by the staff and users
 BARCODE vs. RFID
Barcode RFID
Barcode readers require a direct line of sight, using laser technology Reading is done automatically using RF waves

Scan and read one barcode at a time Scan and read multiple tags simultaneously

Reading by barcode takes much more time Reader can interrogate or read tags much faster

Human intervention is required to scan a barcode RFID tags can be detected hands-off

It should be visible on the product for scanning Tags can be concealed in any non-metallic items

Readability of barcode can be impaired by dirt, moisture, abrasion or RFID tags are not that much affected by those conditions
packaging, etc.
Barcode do not have read/write memory RFID tags have read/write memory

Less read range compared to RFID RFID tags have a longer read range
Technology is old, outdated and less expensive Technology is advanced, but expensive

Ability to hold limited data More data can be stored in a RFID tag and also facility for
modifying it at a later stage
 EM vs. RFID

• EM technology is the most used library security worldwide, protecting billions of books and
other media. The electromagnetic strips are difficult to detect and remove, and can not easily be
shielded by the human body or other materials

• If compared with the RFID technology, the EM technology only offers the security and no other
facility is available with it which is offered by the RFID technology
 Hybrid Technology (EM+RFID)

• There are also strip types with UHF tags which may serve both the purpose but have technical limitations
• The Hybrid technology is the best solution for the libraries as it combines the Security feature of EM and all the
features of RFID
• However, the hybrid solution is a costly affair because every document has to be tagged with RFID label as well
as with EM strip or Hybrid UHF Tag
• Also the other equipments to be used for this technology are special like Exit Sensor Gates which may work
with both type of systems and also required is the Magnetizing/Demagnetizing equipments
• For Indian environment, where there could be lot of mishandling with the RFID tags; the hybrid technology
may be the best option
Impact of RFID System on IIT
Delhi Library Users
Conducted a Study on IITD Users
Ranking of users’ preference for RFID Use
Frequency of the use of RFID system
Rating of circulation system
(using RFID)
Use of Drop Box for returning the Books

2% 4%

Yes
No
No response

94%
Effectiveness of RFID System for Security of
Books
Positive change in attitude of Users
Use of RFID in other areas
Future of RFID in Libraries
 RFID vendors with presence in India and Indian
sub-continent
• 3M Library Systems, New Delhi
• Total IT Solutions, New Delhi
• Beegees, Mumbai
• Capgemini India, Chennai
• Ecole Solutions, Bangalore
• GreenFuturz Software Solutions, Chennai
• HCL Infosystems, Noida
• I-Tek, Pune
• Informatics, Bangalore
• Olex, Delhi
• LibSys Corporation, Gurgaon
• R.S. Barcodes, New Delhi
• RapidRadio Solutions, Ahmedabad
• VTLS Software, Noida, etc.
 RFID in Indian Libraries
• IIT Delhi
• British Council Delhi
• American Center Library
• Jamia Hamdard
• NLU Delhi
• Sapru House, New Delhi
• NASSDOC, New Delhi
• IIM Indore
• IIM Lucknow
• IISc Bangalore
• IIT Madras
• IIT Kharagpur
• IIT Patna
• IIT Roorkee
• NCL Pune
• Nirma University, Ahmedabad
• NIT Rourkela
• NIT Surat
• University of Pune, etc.
 Global Scenario
• Worldwide, RFID is used maximum in the United States, Singapore, United Kingdom, China, Japan, etc.

• Perhaps the largest RFID implementation in academic libraries is in the University of Hong Kong Libraries

• The largest implementation for public institutions is in Seattle Public Library in the United States

• RFID program of Netherlands Library Service, connecting all the libraries of the country with RFID based
circulations is the most innovative

• Major jobbers are now including RFID tags in all library materials purchased from them like that of CIP data
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification#Libraries
 Conclusion
• RFID technology is taking off in libraries at an increasingly rapid pace. It has the capability
of making our lives in the library more convenient.

• The only barrier in the journey is the high cost. However, RFID applications lead to
significant savings in staff costs, enhance services and provide efficient results.

• It is recommended that smaller and new libraries should adopt RFID at an early stage.

• Currently, not too many libraries world-wide are using RFID, but this figure is rapidly
increasing as libraries understand the benefits and convenience of incorporating RFID into
their system.

• Finally, we can say that despite all its limitations, the RFID technology is the future of
libraries; but we should also remember that it is a supporting technology and not a
competing one.
 Disclaimer/Acknowledgements
• The Presentation/Lecture has been prepared from different resources to
help the learners to understand the topic better for academic and research
purpose.

• I duly acknowledge the scholars, institutions and the website content

providers whose materials have been used in my presentation/lecture.
THANK YOU