Anonymous Patron writes “One from the Berkeley Daily Planet says Decisions about public libraries should be made publicly. But just as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in library books can be secretly read and tracked, the Berkeley Public Library (BPL) installed RFID technology with little public awareness or discussion.
Indeed, it appears that BPL did not tell the library’s governing body about known problems with RFID at other libraries before RFID was approved in April 2004. We think this gives the Board of Library Trustees (BOLT) ample reason to reconsider and reject RFID in Berkeley.”
OK I’ll bite…
1)RFID never appeared on the agenda… yep I have a beef with that. If they are spending money people should know where.
2)I don’t see a lot of problems with RFID, I think it is more of a plastic or paper issue.
3)Nutty, there is no active transmission. Plenty of studies have been done in vivo as similar RFID implants are used in pets. Holding a library book will expose the user to less RF than using the blender to make Margaritas.
4)Who the heck wraps books in tin foil. If they are that determined to steal them that they wrap them in foil then nothing really is going to stop them. With our tattletape system you can just hold the books above your head and they will not set off the alarm.
5) Yeah they are about 10 cents each. BFD. Barcodes are 4 for a penny but if RFID makes checkout faster and easier and helps locate books misfiled then it is well worth it in terms of staff time.
RFID is not a death knell for privacy. If you don’t believe me look at your car keys. If you have a car made in the last four years or so with the large plastic grip it has RFID in it.
Seen the feds at your house combing through your car keys… no well then quit worrying about your library books.
I can see one downside….
That private detective your
company
wife
mistress
old friend
the IRS etc
hired can see that you are reading
How to Start your own business
How to Cheat
How to Keep a mistress hanging on
How to use old friends
How to avoid taxes.
Just by driving by your house.
I remember reading that DoD was considering mandatory tags, and how they reacted when someone pointed out that it would allow an enemy to scan our supply depots.
Re:I can see one downside….
Just for the record, does anyone know which type libraries are buying?
Re:I can see one downside….
My understanding (though I can’t site where I read this) is that libraries are using the lower-frequency kind, with a short range.
Which makes sense, because what reason would a library have to pay more for the longer range? There are no benefits to match the cost. The only benefit I can think of is, if you wanted to use them for shelf-reading, it would save you from having to actually walk down the aisle with a receiver. But I hardly see that minor convenience overriding the cost and/or patron privacy concerns.
Re:I can see one downside….
No, that is incorrect. The range of RFID tags in use in noncommercial applications ( cats, books, that sort of thing) is approximately a meter.
So driving by ones house will not reveal what is inside.
Re:I can see one downside….
Aye,
BUT….
’nuff said 🙂
Kit
Here is a kit that can be used to build your own RFID reader. It cost $70 and has a range of four inches.
This is great
From the article There is no evidence that BOLT was told about the potential health risks of RFID, which have been raised by the EMR Policy Institute, San Francisco Neighborhood Antenna Free Union (SNAFU), and others.
I love it! A group that opposes antennas has the acronym of SNAFU. This acronym also is used for Situation Normal All FUC*** UP!
Re:I can see one downside….
What would be the use of reading at 90 feet, in a library? If you were shelf checking, you’d pick up thousands of books in one hit, in a 90ft radius. But even if your reader didn’t choke, you’d have no idea which shelf each item was on. And if you were at check-out, you’d check out everything in a 90ft radius to the one patron!
I have actually seen these things in operation (a 3M demo), and you had to scan a shelf very slowly and right up against the book spine, and even then there’s no guarantee you’d pick up everything.
Furthermore, if the FBI wants to know what you’re reading, they’d just break into your house and look. RFID is only going to give them a list of numbers.
Chill out people. This technology barely works “as advertised”. It’s no threat to privacy at all.