LMS/RFID (Dis)integrationWhy Standards Matter

Mick Fortune

About Me

• 35+ years in the library market– British Library, Geac, Dynix, IBM and 2CQR

• Member of BIC/CILIP Library RFID Group• Independent from July 2008 - focusing on RFID

deployment and LMS/RFID integration issues.• Currently writing “Best Practice Guidelines for

Library RFID” for distribution by CILIP in November 2009.

About this Presentation

• The story so far – How library RFID has developed

• Library Standards– Self service

• Industry Standards– Frequencies, encoding, models etc.

• Where we’re going– Why we need a new standard

The Story So Far

Acquisitions

Circulation

PAC/WebPAC

Cataloguing

System

Typical Library Management System (LMS)

Self Service

Self-Service Circulation Schematic

Self-service units

LAN

Servers

Library ManagementSystem

Web

SIP

Z39.50

Sip messages

Self-Service CirculationIssue Process

Self-service unitSelf-service unit

Sip message

SIP SIP ServerServer

Sip messageRead Borrower CardRead Borrower CardCheck Rules and Return ResultCheck Rules and Return ResultRead Item DataRead Item DataProcess rules and return resultProcess rules and return resultConfirm TransactionConfirm Transaction

A Library “Standard” - SIP

• SIP = Standard Interface Protocol– developed to create a common interface between

any LMS and their barcode-driven self-service.

• A “de facto” standard• Now widely used by LMS/Self Service

solutions.• NCIP will expand its scope to inter-lending.

Not an RFID standard.

So Why Use RFID for Self-Service?

• It works!• Easy to deploy– uses SIP.

• Easier for clients– No need to “hunt the barcode”

• Optionally,– Can issue multiple items simultaneously– Can identify items missing from sets– Can be integrated with security

RFID Industry Standards

Security

• Two options – EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance)• OK/Not OK

– AFI (Application Family Indicator)• Identifies items as belonging to a library• More flexiblity

• Both work by reading/writing data to a tag using specific rules

• Interoperable in theory (and in practice)

Surely there are more standards than that?

You Want More Standards?

• ISO/IEC 19762-3, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) techniques Harmonized vocabulary — Part 3: Radio frequency identification (RFID)

• ISO 15511, Information and documentation – International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations (ISIL)

• ISO 3166-1, Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions — Part 1: Country codes

• ISO/IEC 15961-1, Information technology -- Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management Data protocol -- Part 1: Application interface

• ISO/IEC 15961-2, Information technology -- Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management Data protocol -- Part 2: Registration of RFID data constructs

• ISO/IEC 15961-3, Information technology -- Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management Data protocol -- Part 3: RFID data constructs

• ISO/IEC 15962, Information technology -- Radio frequency identification (RFID) for item management – Data protocol: data encoding rules and logical memory functions

• ISO/IEC 18000-3, Information technology -- Radio frequency identification for item management -- Part 3: Parameters for air interface communications at 13,56 MHz

• ISO/DIS 8459 Information and documentation -- Bibliographic data element directory• GS1 EPCglobal, Tag Data Standards version 1.3.1

Are you Sure?

Do We Need to Learn Them All?

• No - Most of them are protocols already in general use by library RFID companies in the UK

• The two most significant are probably:– ISO/IEC 18000-3• Defines “air interface” parameters for 13.56Mhz (aka

“HF” or “VHF” – almost everyone uses this)

– ISO 15962• Defines a methodology for encoding data on the tags

Why We Need Another Standard

Library RFID – A Quick Recap

• Widely used for self-service– (Almost) all using SIP– No significant RFID data requirement.

• Often used for security– AFI and EAS are well-defined, standardised, non-

library RFID standards.– No significant RFID data requirement.

• Beginning to be used for stock management– Accessions, stocktaking, tracking, selection– Major RFID data requirement?

A Missing Link?

• There is no standard for a library data model. • RFID suppliers have had to develop their own

data models to store the data their systems use.

• There is currently little or no interoperability between RFID systems from different suppliers.

Why Does This Matter?• By deploying RFID you change the way you

interact with your collections permanently.• New RFID-based solutions may be proprietary• Solutions designed for one LMS may not work

with another.• LMS suppliers have mostly been slow to

realise the challenge/opportunity that RFID offers.

The Common Data Model

• European libraries have mostly chosen a single data model standard of which the best known is probably the “Danish” data model (DDM).

• Using a common data model enables greater interoperability and transportable solutions.

• ISO 28560 is an attempt to define a global standard to deliver these advantages to everyone.

A Quick Look at ISO 28560

• 28560-1– Defines the data elements to be stored and their

locations on the tag.

• 28560-2 and 28560-3– Defines the methodology to be used to store it.– They may be mutually exclusive options.

ISO 28560- 1 – Data Elements1. Primary item identifier2. Content parameter3. Owner library (ISIL)4. Set information5. Type of usage - (Books - reference,

circulating etc. Borrowers – Type, Other items – for rental etc.)

6. Shelf location7. ONIX media format - elements 7, 8 and 19

mutually exclusive8. MARC media format - elements 7, 8 and 19

mutually exclusive9. Supplier identifier10. Order number11. ILL borrowing institution (ISIL) - element 11

and 25 mutually exclusive12. ILL borrowing transaction number

13. Product identifier GS1 - element 13 and 18 mutually exclusive

14. Local data A15. Local data B16. Local data C17. Title18. Product identifier local - element 13 and

18 mutually exclusive19. Media format (other) - elements 7, 8 and

19 mutually exclusive20. Supply chain stage21. Invoice number22. Alternative item identifier23. Alternative owner library - element 3 and

23 mutually exclusive24. Subsidiary of an owner library25. Alternative ILL borrowing institution -

element 11 and 25 mutually exclusive

It’s Not What you Do…

• Key advantages– Transportable solutions– RFID interoperability– NCIP can be deployed– Better stock management– New functionality

…it’s the Way That You Do It.

• Some remaining issues– So many options could impact speed of service– Most LMS suppliers not yet “engaged”– Who manages the data?– Existing systems may have to be converted

Summary

• RFID Self-Service works!• RFID Security works! • LMS/RFID integration in any other area of

library activity is either proprietary or non-existent.

• A common standard will improve this situation immeasurably.

• Ask your suppliers, RFID and LMS, how they plan to respond to ISO 28560.

Thank You!

Mick FortuneLibrary RFIDt. +44 1865 727411m. +44 7786 625544e. mick@mickfortune.comw. www.mickfortune.org.uk (from 2009)