Making RFID Work The Worlds Largest University Library RFID Implementation Case Solution

Sidorko should implement RFID in the HKU libraries because it is now a necessity for them with the vast number of books and other information resources that are made available to the faculty and students. The staff and resources are being utilized there unnecessarily as there is not a need for them as the workload can be halved if RFID is implemented properly. Also, the theft of books and relocations of misplaced books is also a time consuming and tiring process for the staff and also leads to non-availability of books at the required time. The implementation of RFID would also address this problem for Sidorko while also making the entire library management system more efficient and faster and make it capable of handling a large amount of workload effectively. Another problem that Sidorko faced were the tediously long lines at the peak hours in the afternoon and evening with 15-18 people at least, waiting in each of the queues. Such problems can be addressed too with the implementation of RFID, and the long queues can move along faster and individuals call also bypass the queues altogether and use the kiosks for checking out or returning the materials themselves. The RFID system would also make the placement, locating and detection of thefts more efficient for the library management and also make the arranging of the books on the shelves much easier and more efficient.

Another fear that Sidorko has is that of maintenance and cessation of the RFID technology and about how he will manage to keep up with this technology but this fear can easily be discounted as HKU has a decent technology and engineering department and they can work in collaboration with the systems management. The RFID technology can further be developed and researched at HKU, and the technologies can be tested and implemented in-house. Sidorko can also make contracts with the vendors to keep the technology up to date and for maintenance purposes as well. Sidorko can conduct further research t o analyze and identify the development in the RFID ethnology over the recent years, and on basis of that research if he feels that the technology would not become obsolete within the next five to ten years then he should go ahead and implement it as it would have served its purpose by then.

It is the a widely accepted fact that electronic material are now an important resource especially for academic purposes but both print and electronic materials have their own unique advantages and disadvantages which make them both uniquely independent and widely accepted in the academia. The electronic media cannot be outdated by the print media, at least not in this era. Electronic media have their limitations in the time an individual can spend in from of a computer screen or a projector. Also, electronic media has a more limited life as compared to print media and a scratch on a CD or some leakage or excessive heat can all damage electronic media while the print media is still much more suitable. Also, even if the electronic media does replace the print media, there would still be a need for RFID as the tagging for RFID is not just done on print media but also on electronic media. The library is facing the same issues with print and electronic media so the benefits or disadvantages caused by RFID's implementation in the main library address both; electronic and print media.