RFID technology on the books for Auckland libraries

Auckland Council want to standardise on RFID across its 33 libraries and collection centres

With the amalgamation of the seven Auckland councils and their seven separate library systems, the recently formed Auckland Council is looking to consolidate the technology used to track and manage library book stocks using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

The Council says its libraries issue more than 10 million books every year.

Transferring books and managing stock across old regional boundaries is difficult because each of the now defunct regional councils use different management systems and identification technologies.

Three of the previous library systems (Manukau City, Rodney District, and Papakura District) already use RFID, while another three (Auckland City, North Shore City, and Franklin District) use an older form of book identification based on magnetic tags and barcodes. Libraries in Waitakere use a mixture of both technologies.

The council says it wants to standardise on RFID across its 33 libraries and collection centres.

Potential vendors are asked to provide a common system for tagging and managing book stock, and to retrofit any existing infrastructure that requires it.

This includes 35 door security units for theft prevention, more than 100 staff work stations, and 61 self service check out desks.

The RFP closes on July 9.