Re: Self Check/RFID - Checkpoint/Bibliotheca

[Peggy Sisselman <psisselman at poklib dot org>]

As anyone who works with acquisitions knows, 
Millennium has records of EVERY little thing done, 
 so it's not hard to imagine that the same would 
be true in other modules, including circulation. 
In dealing with money, this is seen as a positive 
thing, because all is out in the open for anyone 
to see.  The patron circulation issue, though, is 
a loaded question (in more ways than one) and I 
have to admit I have very mixed feelings about the 
whole thing.  I don't think it's so much the 
availability of the information that's the 
problem, but what is done with it.  One cannot 
assume that just because a person is looking at 
information about something, that they are going 
to do that very thing.  I think we have to face 
the fact that  the technology is here so that 
privacy does not have the same meaning it did a 
few years ago.  Perhaps the focus should be on not 
letting evidence  of someone's reading habits be 
any kind of deciding factor in judging  what 
actions they may take, that's what we really have 
to be careful of.  This is a really tough one!  I 
can see both Mieko and Elishiva's points, they are 
both valid sides of the argument!

I admit I don't know all the implications of RFID, 
but it sounds like too good a technology not to 
use and can open up the opportunity for more 
meaninful relationships between staff and public, 
when staff can speak to patrons more directly 
instead of constantly staring at the screen to 
make sure each item is checking out properly.

Peggy

said shafik wrote:

> I agree, because the RFID and Privacy relation goes far passing the 
> Library to reach every activity in our lives as Americans.
> Back to the isuue, we all know Millennium does not store patron 
> transations and clear it from the system, except those areas we have 
> idintified them moons back on the same list when the Privacy Act appeared.
> RFID server STORES transactions, even if you ask the company to remove 
> the database files, still there are daily logs are created to store 
> transactions, and others for errors. This has nothing to do with Radio 
> frecuancy or barcodes, it trigger alog entery once patron scans item(s), 
> or an antena beeps. From the antena IP address you can know the gate 
> which transaction took place.
> Not trying to be funny in a time people die everywhere from terror 
> attacks, but the new meaning for RFID on the internet nowadays is Round 
> Find Identify Detain!
> As a proud American, I am ready to give away part of my privacy to The 
> Homeland Security if a situation of "Clear and Present Danger" appears 
> and my patron records and transaction would help.
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Said Shafik
> System Librarian
> The Emirates Center for Strategic
> Studies & Research
> Abu Dhabi
> United Arab Emirates
> http://www.ecssr.com
> Work Tel: ++971(0)2 6424000
> Mobile:++971(0)5 323 5695
> Said_Shafik at ecssr dot ac dot ae
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>
>
> > From: "M.Yamaguchi" <m dot yamaguchi at bangor dot ac dot uk>
> > Reply-To: IUG INNOPAC List <innopac at innopacusers dot org>
> > To: IUG INNOPAC List <innopac at innopacusers dot org>
> > Subject: Re: Self Check/RFID - Checkpoint/Bibliotheca
> > Date: Thu,  7 Jul 2005 22:40:34 +0100
> >
> > I don't wish to start an off-topic debate but as someone on this side 
> > of the
> > pond who knows a number of people who work in the area of one of the
> > explosions, I would like to suggest that having access to people's 
> > library
> > borrowing records could not have prevented the atrocity that happened 
> > in London
> > today.
> >
> > Mieko
> >
> > Quoting Elisheva Schwartz <SCHWARTZ at juris dot law dot nyu dot edu>:
> >
> > > Before we bash Homeland Security too much, let us remember that they 
> > are
> > > there to prevent what just happened in London today. I, for one, am 
> > thankful
> > > that they are on the job. (And, as Alan Dershowitz, of all people, 
> > said in
> > > the NY Times, we have a right to privacy, not anonymity.)
> > > Elisheva
> > >
> > > >>> BridgeF at chesterfield dot gov 7/7/2005 11:51:00 AM >>>
> > > Hello--
> > >
> > > Perhaps I missed something.
> > >
> > > Virtually all of the elements below are already available in the
> > > Innovative Interfaces circulation control module.  So I do not seek a
> > > heightened privacy risk because a library has used RFID-based item
> > > barcodes other than there are now two servers from which an 
> > unauthorized
> > > person (or the Homeland Security Department) may obtain the same 
> > kind of
> > > data.
> > >
> > > As I understand RFID in a library setting, the only information that
> > > must travel via the airwaves (and thus can be intercepted--at short
> > > distances) are the item barcodes.  And these are already visible and
> > > available throughout the collection.
> > >
> > > Frank
> >
> > -----
> > Mieko Yamaguchi                                m dot yamaguchi at bangor dot ac dot uk
> > Technical Services Manager/System Coordinator        +44 (0)1248 382970
> > Main Library, University of Wales Bangor, UK   +44 (0)1248 382979 (Fax)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > This mail sent through http://webmail.bangor.ac.uk
> > --
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