Keeping libraries ship-shape

Australia has the highest rate of library usage among developed countries. That is not surprising given we have more than 5,200 libraries around the country.

That means millions and millions of books on shelves, in circulation and listed in catalogues.

But not many libraries use state-of-the-art Radio Frequency Identification to manage their mountains of books. The main obstacle has been the cost of the tag compared to the optical barcode.

That is about to change thanks to a project headed by Dr Nemai Karmakar from Monash Engineering. With grant funding from the ARC Linkages program, Dr Karmakar and his team are developing a smart RFID reader and low-cost printable chipless RFID tags which will put Australia at the forefront of library management systems.

Ensuring the security of a library collection is a top priority. So is finding the title or resource you’re after in a timely and effective manner.

Monash’s back-scatter chipless RFID tag technology will allow more libraries to access this optimum low-cost management system. The new technology also offers huge export potential.

The Monash team is enhancing great technology for maximum application.