For information.
Ten years on: the use of RFID technology in library context – Speakers announced.
There will be a two hour kick-off meeting (Wednesday, 17th August, 13.45 - 15.45, Session Room 104) during the 77th IFLA General Conference and Assembly to review the present and future uses of RFID in the library. The session has been prepared with the co-operation of the IT section of IFLA, and will include well-known speakers from Europe, North-America and Australia.
After the meeting you are invited to an informal meeting from 16.00-18.00 in room 204 to discuss future ways of communicating RFID issues to the librarian community, for example through an established Special Interest Group for RFID.
The speakers (and their topics) are:
Frank Seeliger (Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Germany) "Developments, experiences, initiatives and goals in the context of German libraries as RFID-user"
Seeliger’s contribution will reflect ten years of experiences with now almost 400 libraries using this technology. He will cover German projects for localisation and innovation, taking on challenges like constant quality control, the use of round tables as a communication platform, and other platforms for communication (working groups, annual conferences, websites etc.) He will address all RFID matters in the German speaking context and give a short introduction to the use of the technology and an overview about its perception of RFID in Germany.
Marshal Breeding (Vanderbilt University, USA) "RFID Technologies in the context of Emerging Library Automation Trends"
Many aspects of technology supporting the automation of libraries are changing rapidly. Service-oriented architecture, Web-based computing, increased integration of social networking concepts, as well as cloud computing such as software-as-a-service characterize this emerging landscape. Products and services making use of RFID technology have to exist in an automation ecosystem increasingly reshaped by these technologies. Breeding will present a view of how RFID and related technologies fit into this evolving environment, some of the challenges involved such as the need for more modern protocols for interoperability, and some of the opportunities enabled for new efficiencies and innovations. He will also review some of the changes in the global RFID business landscape and comment on its implications for libraries that depend on their products and services.
Mick Fortune (Consultant for UK libraries)”Learning from the past, planning for the future”.
A former Systems Librarian at the British Library Mick also managed Ameritech Library Systems’ European Division and led Nielsen BookNet during a career in library automation that has lasted almost 40 years.
Since returning to the library scene in 2006 he has been monitoring the progress of RFID in libraries – with a particular interest in the integration of RFID solutions with existing systems and their impact on service provision. A member of both the UK national committee on RFID use in the library, and the British Standards Institute, Mick has worked hard to convince the UK market of the importance of standards to improve both interoperability and integration.
He will be reviewing the progress of RFID in libraries with particular reference to his domestic market – the UK. In particular he will be examining the likely impact of the new ISO data standards published earlier this year, and how the position taken by UK RFID providers is likely to change both the procurement and development of solutions in the future.
Edmund Balnaves (Director, Information Technology by Prosentient Systems in Ultimo, NSW, Australia and member of IT-section as Information Coordinator & Editor of Newsletter)
RFID is showing progressive takeup in logistics but very little in the retail chain in Australia. However there has been quite widespread adoption of HF and a smattering of UHF implementations of RFID in public libraries. Of the 400-odd special libraries that form my client base only a smattering use RFID at all.
While the UHF technology looks very promising, both from a cost and reading point of view, the HF implementation is self-fulfilling in Australia as most "standard-form" tender documents mandate the specific technology. From a purely technical point of view the Gen 2 UHF tags are otherwise quite attractive and have some utility in stocktake that can't be said of HF.
Libraries should be careful not to lock in the specific technology but aim for data standards. This is particularly emphasised by recent innovations in printable RFID at Sunchon National University.
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The meeting is to explore the possibility of establishing an IFLA Special Interest Group (SIG) for RFID. More information can be found at:
Mick Fortune
m. +44 (0)7786 625544