News and insight into biometric identification and authentication

UK school swaps library cards for biometrics

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A primary school in Manchester, UK is piloting a program in which students as young as four years old use fingerprints rather than library cards to check out books from the school library. The new program is meeting some opposition, according to a Popular Science article, in the form of concerned parents and privacy advocating groups.


The school insists that each child’s biometric data will be converted from an image into a digital code and if parents still take issue with the program, it is entirely voluntary for the child to join. Despite the assurances of data protection by the school, privacy advocates worry that such programs introducing children to biometric technology at a young age will lead to a trivializing of their own biometric data and a perspective that it is not something that needs to be personally protected.

Read the full story here[end] 

Vaughan Public Libraries in Ontario, Ca. are in the final stages of implementing the Fastrac RFID system.

The Fastrac RFID will provide greater convenience to patrons, time savings for the staff and additional security for the library itself. Provided by the partnership between VTLS and mk Sorting Systems, the installation will include several self-checkout kiosks, staff stations, RFID gates, tagging stations, tagging wands and tags.

read more »

Denton public libraries have announced plans to install new RFID technology in an effort to speed up the check-in of returned items, while easing the workload of library staff.

read more »

Another library joins the long list of those converting to RFID technology to developing a more efficient method of borrowing items - the Grand Rapids Public Library system.

read more »

High schools in Jefferson County, W.V. will be implementing biometric finger scanning in an effort to provide security for the students’ cafeteria accounts. Purpose of the program, according to school officials, is to eliminate clerical errors and to provide students with an easy way to identify themselves when using the cafeteria.

read more »

The Johnson County Library, Kan. will soon move forward on the installation of RFID equipment and adding tags to all of the books and audiovisual materials at the Corinth Library.

read more »

The Middle Country Public Library in Centereach, N.Y. implemented a self-check and self-return system all made possible with the aid of RFID technology, according to libn.com.

read more »