More Technology Than I'm Actually Comfortable Explaining

Now, dear readers, don't get me wrong. I know a lot about the internet and how to use modern technology. I thoroughly proficient at tumblr and my smartphone and how to access youtube through my Playstation 3 and I can use an excel sheet like nobodies business. But when it comes to how these things actually work, I'm less useful than an astrolabe on a cloudy day. I'm not technologically minded. I can fix my a/c and install a basic power outlet, but in 23 years of following my electrician father around his work, I still can't really tell you how home wiring works. I've no issue being functionally ignorant of these things, just as I figure it's okay to not know architectural engineering. But I feel like I owe it to you, dear readers, to try and get to the nitty gritty nuts and bolts workings of RFID tagging as I possibly can. Which isn't all that much.

First we're going to talk about frequency. As RFID's name (Radio Frequency Identification if you've forgotten) suggests, each tag sends out a radio frequency that can be heard or more accurately read by a receiving device. The higher the frequency it sends, the further the signal can go without losing coherency, meaning the further away it can be read. This also means the closer the reader is to the tag the quicker it can read it. There are three general frequency areas for commercial tags, low, high, and ultra high. Low frequency must be read quite closely to be read at all, becoming unrecognizable at distances of at most 3 inches generally depending on the type of reader. This type of frequency might seem useless for library application which requires an amount of distance, but it is exactly the type of tag that is used in certain ID cards much like the technology you can find in my VSU 1card. High frequencies are the type more likely to be found in library tags since they can be read at several feet given an appropriate scanner. Ultrahigh can be read even further but to produce ultrahigh frequencies the technology needs to be much larger making them impractical.

Then there is the issue of active versus passive tagging, which refers to the power source of the technology within the tag. Tags that are actively powered can be considered always "on", always emitting a signal which makes them that much easier to read. They are always larger and much more expensive. Passive tags are powered by the signal sent out by a reader, sending signals only in reaction. It means that these signals take more time to read and that their reading ability hinges on the type of reader activating them, but it also means they are slimmer and easier to hide in books. They are also cheaper and way more common because of it.

Now when in comes to readers, there's typically three kinds as far as libraries go. There are the desk scanners, which have some of the portability of handheld scanner but much more power. These are wired to a computer and typically used in circulation or on conversion stations and to activate or deactivate security measures coded in tags. There are the handheld scanners which have decreased range and processing ability but can be easily moved through the stacks to aid tasks like taking inventory or weeding collections. Handheld and desktop scanners can be used to write coding on tags if the tags are equipped to be written. (I'll do a post on coding later I think.)Then there are the security sensors which read the tags as people come and ago from the library. They have superior range but no mobility. They also have to send out a constant field to activate passive tags, unlike the other kinds that typically only read on command. Though I generally think of them as the sensors you see at the exits of libraries, some libraries have them placed in book drops to automatically check in returned materials. Some of these book drops have connected automated book sorters that read the tag on a book and designate it to a pile to be reshelved in a certain area. I've never actually seen it done outside of the German video a way back.

 That's all I can think to include about the major technology at present. I'll post a sequel to this eventually explaining some of the technology on a tag itself if I ever figure out how it works.



References

3M. (2013). RFID 301. Retrieved from http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UgxGCuNyXTtnXTtnxfEEVtQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666--&fn=RFID%20301.pdf

American Library Association. (2011, October 10). RFID technology for libraries. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/pla/tools/technotes/rfidtechnology

BarcodesInc. (2013). RFID Buying Guide. Retrieved from http://www.barcodesinc.com/info/buying-guides/rfid.htm

Bhargava, H., Campbell, A., Das, A. M., Haines, B., Kleinschmidt, & J.Thornton, F. (2006). RFID security. Rockland, MA: Syngress Publishing. 

Chatterjee, R., Choi, J., Park, S., & Wolfe, P. (2004). Proceedings from IIE Annual Conference: Evaluation of using RFID passive tags for monitoring product location / ownership. Norcross: Institute of Industrial Engineers

Pandian, M. P. (2010). RFID for libraries: A practical guide. Oxford: Chandos. 

In A World Full of Unlocked Doors The Man With The Key Is King

There's one thing that has always always bothered me about libraries and that's how ridiculously easy it is to steal from them. I found this out at an early age. I was sitting in the school library completely absorbed in reading (I think it was a Tamora Pierce novel, one of the Circle of Magic books maybe) when I was startled by the bell. I stuffed the book in my bag and ran off to catch the bus since missing the bus was a particular issue for me. By particular, I mean particularly recurrent. I finished the book at home and promptly forgot about it. When I did remember it, I realized it was now way overdue since I checked it out a month ago. (This is another particularly recurrent issue of mine. Also, why I never ever have change.) I turned it in with a heavy heart and shamefacedly shied away from the library for a few days until boredom got the best of me. When I finally faced the music and asked about my fine, I was surprised to find I never had one. I had never checked it out in the first place. I had this book for probably over a month and there were no repercussions. I wisely accepted my good luck and never spoke to anyone about it out of guilt.

The thing that gets me to this day is that the library had security sensors. I only knew what they were from my dad tripping them at stores all the time (because he has magnetized steel toed shoes, not because he was a thief, at least I don't think so). They never went off. The librarian didn't seem surprised that they wouldn't. They were useless sensors on purpose! Dummy sensors!

I digress. It makes my skin crawl to think that people are stealing things they can generally check out for free. It seems like the ultimate abuse of privileges. So any technology that improves the level of graft in public libraries makes me a happy camper. Hence the following video thing. It is another commercial video (though this is actually a slide show I guess) that displays why we should all buy RFID tag systems, but it goes further into depth with some of the technology talked about in previously videos as well as some technical information that might be more interesting/decipherable to people more technologically minded than myself. It also takes anti-theft measures to insane levels which I thoroughly enjoyed. I want to work at the library that employs facial recognition software!

RFID for Library Management System_Printronix

View more presentations or Upload your own.

References

Bhargava, H., Campbell, A., Das, A. M., Haines, B., Kleinschmidt, & J.Thornton, F. (2006). RFID security. Rockland, MA: Syngress Publishing.

Pandian, M. P. (2010). RFID for libraries: A practical guide. Oxford: Chandos.

How to Make An Oktoberfest Joke Unfunny

In searching for some commercial RFID videos I stumbled across this beauty produced by the Munich public library system. Initially I just enjoyed the announcer, who seemed to be literally possessed by the spirit of library efficiency but otherwise the video is quite pleasant and does a good job in showing how RFID can improve a large system in a way that is more than theoretical. Fair warning, this video is partially in German though it is subbed. If any German speakers watch this blog, feel free to correct any glaring mistranslations in the comments!

Perhaps The Furlings Were Librarians?

I was looking for more fun videos to add to my blog and lo and behold I found one! This one showcases some of the technology involved in an RFID system, some of which I've talked about before such as the security sensors, some I've not mentioned such as hand-held RFID readers which this video makes look like a Star Trek-esque scanner. Maybe that's just the device or maybe this man was genuinely looking for life signs, who knows. Regardless, this is the best soundtrack to date.