Benefits of RFID

The main benefit of RFID is the increase in productivity.

Materials handling is the primary efficiency. Checkout becomes a much faster process as stacks of books can be checked out with one scan of a reader without opening or handling the books. This is a dramatic reduction in the steps required during checkout.

Fully implemented, the system could do away with a checkout station completely. The patron walks past the exit sensors, the information is read off the smart card right from the patron's pocket and the items are checked out. No contact with staff, no need to interact with a station of any kind.

The system also has the potential to use a smart card to increase services to patrons. Information can be embedded in the card including prepaid dollars or other information useful at the checkout or other library service desks.

If the installation includes the security addition into the tag then the checkout stations become far more user friendly. All items can be checked out using the self checkout units as no electromagnetic desensitizing occurs that can damage sensitive audiovisual material. Also, the careful placement required by barcode technology is no longer necessary as tag placement is not relevant to the RFID reader.

Inventory, tracking of lost items, shelf reading and all work associated with checking the shelves becomes much easier using the portable readers. Scan a shelf and the reader will read back the missing or out- of-place items either through a report for limited readers or directly off the reader for more advanced versions.

Check in becomes far more efficient as entire bins of books can be checked in by moving the bin through a large reader or scanning a truck of books with a portable reader. This process reduces handling of returned material by several steps.

Repetitive strain injuries that have plagued libraries will be reduced as many of the repetitive movements at check in and checkout are reduced. If the implementation of RFID is integrated with an automatic materials sorting system, even further reductions in injuries will occur.