Why you should be using RFID for your inventory

Why does any library implement any new system, process or technology? To increase efficiency, making tasks faster or simpler for its staff. Using RFID for inventory ticks both boxes.

The simple fact is, if you are taking your library inventory without utilising RFID technology, you are wasting resources, costing your library and its staff a lot of time. Time that could be used more productively by engaging with customers, helping with reading choices, assisting with digital technology or signposting patrons to the wide range of activities available in a modern library.

Why does a library need to take regular inventory?

We don’t need to tell you how taking regular inventory will benefit your library and your users, but to summarise:

To verify your assets and ensure your catalogue records are accurate, align what is on your shelves to what your LMS thinks is on your shelves
To identify missing items to enable you to take appropriate action, whether that is to replace missing items, withdraw them from the catalogue record, or alerting any offending patrons
To analyse the strengths and weaknesses of your collection and whether it is providing your users with the information they are seeking.
To assess the effectiveness of your current security procedures and/or systems, with the possibility of making a business case for a new or enhanced library security system

So, the question is not why inventory, but…

Why choose RFID for your library inventory?

RFID is faster than barcodes. An RFID label can be scanned without the need for visibility, making the inventory process much faster than traditional barcode scanning. In fact, because RFID doesn’t require line of sight to scan, you scan a whole shelf with a single pass

Increased efficiency. Reduced labour cost. The ability to scan many RFID codes simultaneously with minimal human input makes for maximum efficiency, reducing the overall labour cost of every inventory.

Cost Outlay vs Labour Savings

The biggest drawback to using RFID for inventory in most industries is cost, in particular in the initial outlay, while very small, of RFID tags compared with barcoding for products with a short lifespan. Especially as the increased durability of RFID tags doesn’t factor in the equation for short term products.

However, due to the much longer asset lifespan of library items, the initial cost is offset by the labour-saving over the book’s lifetime – which dramatically outweighs the small initial cost of the RFID tag. Not to mention the increased security capabilities provided by its RFID tag makes the item less likely to go missing in the first place.

findIT faster with D-Tech

As the most powerful handheld inventory wand on the market today, the findIT p-series from D-Tech delivers unprecedented reading speeds. The compact and easily portable p-series allows you to easily collect all information from each shelf with just one pass and also includes a powerful boost mode so you can cover larger areas faster. Plus, thanks to its dual-sense alert capability, findIT allows you to complete inventory and item searches simultaneously.

Make your library inventory faster, easier, better, more efficient today with findIT from D-Tech – the most powerful RFID inventory wand on the market.

For more information or a free technology review of your library or public space, or even a live video demonstration of any D-Tech product, call us on 01394 420077 or email us on info@d-techinternational.com.

findIT is part of D-Tech’s RFID range – Click here to find out more about our RFID solutions technology

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