Kingston University library is installing a radio frequency identification (RFID) book tracking system.

The library, which contains 432,000 books at four sites, will use the system to improve the way it manages the demands made by the university’s 20,000 students and staff.

Matthew Grove, e-services manager at Kingston University’s library, says the RFID system will mean an end to staff having to spend time on mundane, repetitive administrative tasks, such as checking books in and out.

‘RFID allows us to automate the check-out and check-in process for students. They will be able to take a book off the shelf, take it down to a machine which will read the chip in the book, and then check it in and out of the library’s system,’ he said.

‘That will free our 102 library staff to deal with the increasing demands of complex IT and information research enquiries, such as tracing e-books and electronic journals and creating links to digital materials.

‘Chips are much easier to use than barcodes, which require greater accuracy. RFID is also quicker, because it can read more than one item at a time. You can put down a whole pile of books and get them checked out in one go.’

Kingston is looking to bring in an outside contractor to supply the chips and scanning equipment, and integrate them with the library management system.

‘Cost and ease of use are big considerations for us,’ said Grove. ‘We don’t want to be forced to have someone standing next to the self-service machine to explain how to use it.’