RFID & III API
MENA IUG
3rd Annual Meeting
November 18 – 19, 2008
American University of Sharjah
United Arab Emirates
Huguette Yaghmour
Director of Library Automation Systems
The American University in Cairo Library
American University in Cairo
Library
AUC Library received a grant in 2006 - 08 ,
which was utilized to implement the use of
RFID as an up-to-date with the technology
and to provide entrance control and stock
security.
There were 2 parts to the
project
1. Book tagging
for RFID checkout, checkin, exit control,
and stock control
2. Patron identification
while borrowing and at Library entrance
What is RFID?
• RFID stands for Radio-Frequency
Identification
• RFID tag stores data, which is verified
remotely by the Millennium database or
the proprietary database.
Where is the tag placed?
• The RFID book tag is placed inside the
cover of the book.
• The RFID ID tag is embedded in the ID
card.
What information does the tag
contain?
• RFID for books contains ONLY the book
barcode number.
• RFID for IDs contains ONLY the patron
barcode number (in the Library sector of
the RFID chip).
Benefits of using RFID tags in
books
• Facility in checking out and checking in
(Circulation desk or self-check machines)
• Facility in performing inventory and shelftidying
• Easy to track a book on the shelf
AUC Library’s choice
• For books: 3 M system and selfcheckout units
• For IDs: Datacard Group supplied the
enterprise software system and entrance
control - i.e. gates -- (their licensed
representative in Egypt is Excel Systems
Egypt)
AUC Library issues the
University IDs
• Our choice of ID card (HID MIFARE
smart card) was determined by the one
already selected by the AUC for campus
access, i.e. 4K RFID-chip Mifare
• The RFID chip in the card is divided into
sectors, and we chose our sector in
co-ordination with other entities in the
AUC who had plans for the card
The Patron record in the
Datacard enterprise software
system consists of:
• Patron name (Family,
First, … )
• Patron barcode
• University ID
• Patron type
• Expiry date
•
•
•
•
Photo
Card serial number
Library access flag
University access
flag
• Issuer
III Patron Web Services
III offers two products:
• Patron Update
• Fine Payment
These products are used to copy the data
from Millennium into the proprietary
software system (or vice versa)
AUC Library
opted to purchase only the first product,
i.e. Patron Update
Patron Update API (Web
Services)
• Allows a library to offer patron information
to an external system, such as an
electronically controlled access gate or a
"one card" system
• Allows patron data to be maintained and/or
synchronized in both systems
• Interfaces with 3rd-party proprietary
systems e.g. ID systems
• Sends single-record, real-time updates to
patron records
Single-record, real-time
updating of patron records is
done:
• Via a third-party product (TPP)
• In real-time
• As single-record updates rather than as a
batch process
Benefits of making a singlerecord, real-time update
• Issue new patron ID (add patron to
database) on demand
• Update information (expiry date, etc)
• Transmit card image to the monitor at
the entrance for checking purposes
AUC Library updates Millennium
patron records
• students: twice a year,
• faculty and staff: once a year.
Consequently, the expiry date on a record
will show if a student has graduated or a
faculty or staff member has left and is no
longer allowed to use the Library.
RFID entrance system:
At the gate, the RFID reader reads the chip,
the patron barcode interrogates the
proprietary system, which checks the patron
record for expiry date. If the expiry date is
prior to the date of attempted entry, the
alarm sounds.
RFID checkout:
During checkout, the patron’s barcode is
read off the ID chip directly into Millennium,
which recognizes the status of the borrower
and the loan rule that applies.
Privacy
Fear of RFID as a possible invader of
privacy (which has been a major
controversy in the US) was never an issue
with us. However, we already used ID
cards, and a stock security system, so it’s
possible no-one felt any difference.
Minimum data stored on RFID
chips
The data on the RFID chip (patron barcode)
was actually less than that on the barcode
card that preceded it. All our books were
already bar-coded, and the data on the
RFID book tag is simply the barcode.
So in the extremely remote chance of an
RFID snooper reading the ID and book
tags, no titles and no borrower names
would be known.
AUC Library plans
To use the smart ID card to credit money for
printing through the “Pharos” system
Questions