Answer:

Dr. Keith Rathmill
Technical Sales Manager – S A Secure Ltd.

RFID Library Security is Now The Lowest Cost Solution!!!!!

The rapid growth in RFID Library Security Systems volumes during the last ten years has supported the development of low cost RFID solutions. The many advantages of RFID Library Technology, look set to ensure its continued dominance. These advantages include:

1. A digital security technology that is impervious to the many naturally occurring
sources of (analogue noise) interference.
2. Much wider spacing of security gates.
3. Slimmer, much more elegant, and less space consuming security gates.
4. Faster, multi book, circulation processing.
5. The ready availability of affordable, labour saving, ‘add-ons’ such as Self-Serve and
Hand-Held Shelf Management etc.
6. Comprehensive worldwide (ISO) standards enforcing multi vendor compatibility.

The organisation that I work for specializes in supplying and installing school and college library systems, and has over many years successfully provided all three of the available library security system technology options, namely; analogue Radio Frequency (RF), analogue Electro-Magnetic (EM) and digital RFID. However, within the past three years the reducing costs of RFID Library Systems, coupled with their many attractive advantages, have seen RFID library systems installed almost exclusively, across the whole educational market – from primary school to university.

Like the golden age of steam locomotives, eventually superceded by diesel-electric technology, the decades of electro-magnetic (EM) library security domination, are now a thing of the past – replaced by RFID for a variety of reasons including functionality and cost.

Functionality apart, it is now the case that RFID systems offer a lower system purchase cost in comparison with an EM solution, for all libraries with less than 16,000 books. At around 20,000 books, EM technology starts to show a small (systems purchase) cost advantage over RFID – but for (and above) this size of library, the value of RFID’s superior processing speed, and labour saving potentials, make it a ‘no brainer’ best option based upon ‘overall operational cost’ grounds.

Good ‘old fashioned’ analogue RF library security remains the lowest cost (systems purchase) option for smaller (<10,000 books) lending libraries, but the operational inefficiency of the cumbersome tag-pocket and detuner card circulation requirement, make it increasingly unattractive due to increasing pressure on library staff time.

So I agree,  in general, for a lending library the best investment option is a quality RFID solution. RFID is not only the best library security solution available, it is now the most cost effective option

This details the new Library Shop for schools and colleges with all the latest security products, labels, secure desks and furniture.

In addition the latest security for the 2014 classroom such as IPad charging units with secure trolleys.

Click on the eshop link to find out more…

We know, for example, that the average school library has a greater degree of transient peak load demand and a higher frequency of traffic intensity peaks, than any other type of library. With multiple, often short, class periods scheduled each and every day, the school library is anything but a ‘soft option’, but rather the most demanding and highly stressed form of library resource that exists. Public and university libraries may be larger in scale, but proportionally they experience far fewer peak load demand situations, and much less stressful traffic intensity than the average school library. And although it is difficult to imagine a more valuable or fulfilling occupation, it is common knowledge that staff resources within the school library domain are more tightly managed than in any other sector.

In short, it can be a really tough job running a school library; and to help you meet the many challenges of this demanding environment we have developed a comprehensive range of rugged high quality school library systems products. Our hardware and software, is purpose designed to combine all the essential factors of peerless performance, ease of use, rugged service provision and elegant contemporary aesthetics. This is why our library systems have been specified for most of the prestige new library developments throughout the UK. Because all S A Secure products adhere strictly to the many international standards that apply to RFID library products – your investment in our library systems guarantees future conformance, strategic development potential, and multi-vender compatibility.

Our ‘deceptively easy to use’ ultra high speed RFID Staff-Pads maximise the efficiency of precious staff time, our prestigious student self-serve kiosks encourage responsible participation and open access, our ‘light as a feather’ hand held shelf management tools take the unspoken drudgery out of finding misplaced items and stock taking. Not least, because school budgets are understandably modest, we have developed a comprehensive range of school library solutions that provide the very highest levels of performance – all made available at exceptionally competitive prices to suit school budgets.