RFID sounds industrial, but for a library it is wonderfully simple: a sticker that lets a book identify itself to a reader. Here is the whole system, minus the jargon.

Tags, readers, software

A thin tag goes inside each book. A reader at the desk or kiosk senses the tag. Software ties the tag to your catalogue and member database. That is the entire stack.

What self-service really needs

A kiosk, a reader, and software that can check items in and out against a member account. Members tap, borrow and leave — staff are freed for everything else.

Starting small

You do not need to tag the whole collection on day one. Start with high-traffic shelves and expand as you see the time savings.

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