The Future Now blog is way too thought-provoking! Maybe it's the novelty of having just discovered it. Anyway, Jason Tester writes about RFID tracking in library books. If the books can be located instantly no matter where they are within the library's boundaries, Jason wonders how the library might be organized.
The obvious suggestion is to leave the books categorized by subject category, but I have an interesting idea. The RFID can integrate to more than just a check-in/check-out/where-is-it system.... in fact we can borrow a concept from warehouse management and organize the library by frequent use.
After enough data on book usage is compiled, we can do some data mining to place heavily-used books in more convenient areas of the library (lower shelves, closer to the front) , while rarely-used books are on higher shelves, off in a corner somewhere but still easily locatable.
This is a classic application of inventory management software that organizes, let's say, auto parts warehouses by putting high-demand parts with the greatest turnover rate (something like common fuel filters, spark plugs, or headlight lamps) toward the front of the warehouse for easiest loading onto delivery trucks or for easy pickup at the front counter. Obscure parts that seldom fail and therefore aren't purchased often, are either not kept in inventory at all (therefore eliminating "carrying cost") or kept somewhere in the back.
For a library that collects similar data about book checkouts, perhaps the local school system has a set reading list. And many of the locals come in looking for whatever's on the NYT Bestseller list. Those items can be placed toward the front of the library. Those are obvious picks, but the data mining could pull up high-turnover books that nobody would expect, and have them re-located. Then, the RFID allows you to pinpoint exactly where the book is, and it's all automated so the librarians no longer have to "just know" where the high-demand items are.
This setup would save lots of time, in terms of walking around a huge library and climbing up and down to reach high shelves. The downside is... what about the classic book browsing behavior by subject? Would that all be done by computer too, like Amazon and Google are building right now?
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