Design and development of RFID based library information system

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology is an automatic identification system consisting of a tag and a reader which can communicate with radio waves. Within the business processes it is possible to read and write the data from and into the microchip included tags from long distances. In this way, with lower costs more efficient process management and monitoring is provided. Today, RFID technology can find a wide range of application areas in many sectors such as automotive, logistics, retail, healthcare and libraries. RFID can provide long term benefits to libraries in process, traceability and security. It can enhance existing barcode systems by providing additional features such as automatic checkout and return whilst adding security against theft. RFID will reduce lost books and creates savings in time spent searching for books shelved in incorrect locations. Stock-taking can be reduced to a simple walk down an isle as the RFID tags are read whilst they are still on the shelf. However RFID technology is still relatively new for library applications and there is a growing interest regarding the possibilities of using RFID technology. In this study design and development of an RFID based Library Information System (RLIS) for a Turkish library is described comprehensively.