What ifs? Creative Library RFID

Gary Green

Surrey County Council Library Servicegary.green@surreycc.gov.uk

RFID in Libraries

• RFID – “an aerial attached to a computer chip that can be read and written at distance by using radio waves.” (LibraryRFID.co.uk)

• In use in libraries for over 10 years.

• It’s still most commonly used in libraries to enable self-issue and return of stock, security & stock control.

What if?

…we took unusual & creative uses of RFID technology from outside the library sector.

…we tweaked them & made use of them in libraries.

What benefits would it give our library users & our library services?

Interactive Sculpture Walk

• RFID tags embedded in transmedia sculptures.

• Using RFID enabled phones people can leave & pick up comments via the tags.

• Shared experiences.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsgW9ylBk2Y#t=2m04s (2:04 - 3:00)

Interactive Sculpture Walk

•Translate into library use...

•Users add their emotional experience (what they feel about them) to library resources – reviews, ratings, comments.

•Those experiences are shared with other library users – personal recommendations.

Wine Selection

• RFID tagged wine bottles & shelf acts as a tag reader.

• Display more information than appears on label – recommend food, rate, how many customers selected it.

• Records user activity.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78APl4lHL5A#t=0m20s (0:30 – 1:15)

Wine Selection

•Translate into library use...

•Provide value added information about stock – press review, author events, recommended reads.

•Provides library with information about how people are using our resources.

Science of Survival Exhibition

• Interactive exhibition of sustainable living & the future of our environment.

• Visitor choices recorded throughout the exhibition using RFID card.

• Choices pulled together to build a futurescape city.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSYv-CO4iZA#t=0m23s (0:20 – 1:00)

Science of Survival Exhibition

•Translate into library use...

•Identify how visitors use & navigate through the library?

•Where are best places to site stock & services.

•What’s happening in your social network, the library?

Cemeteries

• RFID tagged gravestones containing information about the person buried there.

• Read information via NFC

(RFID) enabled phone.

• Visitors leave messages & record stories for others.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWN6cqZl4N4#t=0m34s (0:33 – 1:40)

Cemeteries

•Translate into library use... •Users able to add information to library resources that they have intimate knowledge of.

•Users able to fill in “missing information” in our resources.

British Music Experience

• British pop music exhibition.

• Ticket doubles as RFID card - scan ticket to bookmark parts of exhibition.

• Go home, enter ticket number

onto website & find out more about your bookmarked areas.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ4YJloGdig (0:00 – 0:40)

British Music Experience

•Translate into library use...

•Bookmark RFID tagged library resources using NFC enabled smartphone.

•Smartphone can share information with others.

•Access their “bookmarks” outside of the library building.

The Nest Haunted House

• Theme park experience that pulls in data from your Facebook account.

• Visitor wears RFID badge that triggers personalised “creepy” responses in the house e.g. their name appearing on gravestone.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Puau7d6lI#t=0m47s (0:47 – 1:17)

The Nest Haunted House

•Translate into library use…

•RFID enabled smartphone linked to Facebook account.

•Use data from other networks to suggests user might want to borrow “this item” right here & now.

•Personalises experience.

Creative Use of RFID Could Help…

• Enable library users to share opinions & experiences.

• Provide value added info beyond the physical library resource.

• Identify how people use library services & resources.

• Enable library users to contribute their knowledge to our collections.

• Share library resources more easily & beyond the library walls.

• Provide personalised library services in real time.

Links & Image Credits

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35456333@N00/171587228 RFID tag (midnightcomm / Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44312356@N04/6023508805 What ifs slide (Instant Vantage / Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/85494010@N00/72250668/ Interactive sculpture walk slide (darkmatter/Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16102959@N00/3335072656/ Wine selection slide (whisperwolf/Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/87745495@N00/4699082802/ Science Of Survival slide (jjutt/Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10607845@N03/3176581879/ Cemeteries slide (Bryan Burke/Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81373327@N00/177425082/ British Music Experience slide (boston_camera/Flickr)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackta/2431849657 The Nest Haunted House slide (Tiffany.Ann.M/Flickr)

What ifs? Creative Library RFID

Gary Green

Surrey County Council Library Servicegary.green@surreycc.gov.uk