Almost Magic: The Realities of RFID

Abstract

Hailed as the up-and-coming, all-encompassing solution for library circulation, security, and stacks management, the Access Services team had high hopes when RFID tagging was implemented in 2015. The incorporation of these tags as replacements for barcodes and security tape has worked fairly well, as the circulation workflows were adapted to include newly necessary tasks such as applying and re-writing the tags themselves. However, our dreams inventorying and stacks management have fallen a bit flat as the technology isn't quite as magical or all-knowing as we'd hoped. This poster will outline our dreams versus reality in the areas of circulation, inventory, and stacks management to provide realistic expectations for those considering the implementation of RFID as well as tactics for building an RFID implementation team, skills, and useful tools.