For four years we have been running an annual survey of UK libraries’ use of RFID. Last year’s yielded the largest response so far with a total of 122 UK library authorities completing the questionnaire.

Results are made available free of charge through a variety of channels.

This year I’m teaming up with two of my fellow library consultants – Lori Bowen Ayre of the Galecia Group based in the USA and Alan Butters of Sybis based in Australia – to attempt to obtain a more global view of this rapidly expanding, often confusing – but always exciting market.

The information gathered is used for a variety of purposes. At one level it provides a snapshot of the spread of the technology but the survey also provides a valuable resource for users to gain information about their supplier’s performance and other user’s experiences. Individual reports are sent to all responders and their suppliers showing performance in key areas like reliability of equipment, speed of response etc. All these reports contain statistical information only – no-one is named!

Another (free) service that I have been able to provide from the results has been to connect same supplier clients, sharing similar issues, to each other. This is only done with the agreement of both parties – think of it as a dating agency for systems people!

Finally the information gathered helps all of us trying to improve the way in which RFID solutions operate, and particularly the ways in which they interoperate with other systems, to establish areas where closer attention might be needed. Input from UK librarians last year helped lead to the establishment of a new communication protocol for tighter integration between management systems and RFID solutions.

There has possibly never been a more important time to make the right technology decisions so the survey also seeks to establish what we’ve already done, how successful we have been, and what those about to commit their organisations to using RFID can expect from their investment.

Please take a moment to complete it – wherever you are! This link will take you to the start page.

The survey will be open until the end of January. First results will be published during February.