Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems has recently partnered with Jefferson County Public Library to provide RFID conversion of its entire floating collection of more than one million items, which circulate through its ten libraries and a Bookmobile.
Jefferson County Public Library, located just west of Denver, is the second largest library system in Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountain region. More than 370,000 Jefferson County residents are library card holders.
"We have witnessed significant change in both the materials we offer and the services our library provides to Jefferson County residents," County Librarian Bill Knott said. "Jefferson County Public Library continues to experience record-breaking growth. In 2005 we circulated more than 5.5 million items, a 30 percent increase over 2004. The library is poised to hit 6 million in 2006."
To help meet the demands of this growth, library administration and its Board of Trustees looked to patron self-checkout as a way to reduce costs and improve service. Bibliotheca's BiblioChipTM RFID Library System, along with self-check software from Innovative Interfaces, Inc., met the library's requirements. The new self-check system does not require the line of sight that is necessary for barcodes. As a result, positioning of the materials for checkout by patrons is easy. And with the time saved from checking out materials, staff can work more closely with patrons on their reading and research needs.
Bibliotheca's security gates also identify materials that pass through the gates without being properly checked out, thus maintaining a secure library collection.
Conversion of the materials is very easy, taking an average of 22 seconds from the time the book is taken from the book cart, tagged, scanned and replaced on the cart. The process is the fastest in the industry. Once the material is converted, the barcode number of the BiblioChip RFID label is encrypted by the software, assuring patron privacy.
"We're excited to provide this technology for Jefferson County Public Library," said Bibliotheca President and CEO Emmett F. Erwin. "The library needed an option that would allow them to maintain their hallmark high-quality customer service while managing the increasing demands. Bibliotheca was a perfect fit in meeting this challenge."
