RFID technology will only become more widely used in libraries as the
cost of tags will continue to decrease and the security issues are
dealt with. Basic economic rules will apply, as there is a greater
demand for the technology, there will be a greater supply, and a lower
cost. The same is true for the security of information transmitted by
RFID, as there is a greater demand for increased security, the
technology will develop and become available. The industry will respond
to the will of its customers, both commercial and public, just as these
respond to the will of the public.
Privacy
Principles
The American Library Association formally endorsed the Book Industry
Study Group’s Privacy Principles regarding RFID and remains
dedicated to its stand of intellectual freedom and the right to
privacy. These Privacy Principles state, among other issues, that no
personal information will be stored on tags, a library should give
notice, and full disclosure, of the use of RFID, and that data should
be protected “against interpretation by any unauthorized third
party.” 14,
15
Various public libraries, including those in Berkeley, CA, and Ontario,
Canada have released a list of best practices intended for other
libraries to follow. These best practices include information on
disclosing the use of RFID to the public, what information should be
stored on an RFID tag, and reinforces the need for a secure Integrated
Library System. 16,
17
The endorsement by the ALA is enough to reasonably conclude that use
RFID technology will continue to grow in libraries. The publishing of
best practices is a beginning to the dialog that needs to take place
between libraries using this technology. Additional education of the
patron, and the patrons’ push onto libraries and vendors for
greater security will only serve to have the technology improve and
grow. When security measures have improved, it is possible that
libraries will move to the sole use of an RFID patron card to check out
materials. This will not be widely practiced until the security of the
data transmitted from the card to the ILS is improved and impenetrable
to interception. Top