Biometric patron identification?

["William Gray" <wgray@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear fellow IUGers,

Are there any libraries out there that are using biometric identification of its patrons? I'm specifically thinking of fingerprint readers (like those available here: http://www.fingersec.com/indice.htm).

My thought is that keeping someone's fingerprint on file with their record would eliminate the need for cards (though patrons would still need a number for access via the Web) at circulation desks.

I'm sure there would be concern by some people that their fingerprints would somehow end up in the "wrong hands", though as I understand it, such information is encrypted on a server, and would be useless to anyone else... but perhaps someone else has encountered issues with this that they wouldn't mind sharing here?

The question would be how to make such biometric information work with Millennium; Millennium can currently store a patron's photograph, which is good for verification that the patron holding a library card is actually the card's owner. Perhaps a fingerprint file could be stored the same way? Has anyone tried this?

Or am I talking Star Trek tech here?

I know more and more companies are using fingerprint readers for network security & verification applications (like instead of a password for network logons).

Your thoughts and experiences would be appreciated.

Thanks,

William Gray
Library Technical Assistant
Greenwich Library