When I agreed to review this new publication, I made it clear that I know nothing about Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and I was therefore hoping to read a book that would tell me all about it. I was not disappointed.
Making the Most of RFID in Libraries is a timely and very readable publication, with sufficient technical detail to explain the concept; but not too much to make for a boring technical read for those of us who are not great technology boffins.
RFID is growing in popularity as a customer‐friendly self‐service technology. Its use in libraries combines the functions of the barcode and the security tag and adds the capacity of being able to read multiple items seemingly simultaneously without need for a line of sight.
Martin Palmer has produced an extremely detailed account of this new and emerging technology. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is overviewed from the perspective of how this technology can help to solve a library's problems and also as an opportunity to rethink service delivery. This is not the book to read if you want a guide to choosing the definitive RFID system. But it is THE book to read if you want to inform yourself about the technology; to know what questions to ask when considering choosing a system; and, to be thoroughly aware of all of the associated management considerations which need to be covered‐off when implementing RFID.
I especially like the chapter on building a business case for RFID and the penultimate chapter, which presents a case study on RFID. The inclusion of a “further information” section at the back of the book is a nice bonus and the references are extensive. In addition, at the beginning of each chapter there is a summary box which overviews key questions answered in the chapter and key concepts covered.
Thank you to Martin Palmer for improving my personal knowledge about RFID. This book makes a solid contribution to the literature and is sure to make a difference to successful implementations of this new technology in individual libraries. The book is highly recommended for all levels of library and information personnel and for library students and faculty alike. If you know nothing about RFID; if you think you know something but want to check your facts; if you want to impress your colleagues with your understanding of the technology; or, if you are a library leader needing to make decisions, then this is a compulsory read and a book I would strongly recommend.
