Through the looking glass: envisioning new library technologies – people tracking technologies
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-10-2018-0068 |
| Pages | 1-5 |
| Published date | 01 April 2019 |
| Date | 01 April 2019 |
| Author | Peter Fernandez |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library technology,Library & information services |
Through the looking glass:
envisioning new library
technologies – people
tracking technologies
Peter Fernandez
One of the core functions of many
libraries is to be a physical space that
serves the needs of its patrons. Libraries
are places where people come to locate,
use and borrow resources, both physical
and digital. Libraries are spaces where
people come to access and learn about
the technology that is needed to absorb
and create information. Libraries are
places where members of a community
gather to study, to organize, to discuss
or for any number of other reasons.
As stewards of these spaces, libraries
have to make decisions about how to best
allocate their resources within them. This
column will explore emerging trends in
people-tracking technology. This column
will provide an overview of current
and future uses of technologies, including
infrared beams, thermal imaging,
structured light, video, and mobile device
tracking. It will situate these technologies
in the context of emerging applications,
such as cashierless stores. These
technologies allow libraries and to closely
monitor how their space is being used,
which ideally can allow them to make
informed choices that better configure
and staff their space.
Infrared beams
One of the most common tracking
technologies in libraries is the simple
infrared beam. These beams are usually
placed at the entrance and exit of the
building so that everyone who enters or
leaves the space must pass in front of
them. Each time the invisible beam is
“broken” by someone or something
walking past it, the machine registers that
the beam was broken and counts them.
This technologies strength is its
simplicity, which also comes with some
limitations. For example, if a crowd of
patrons enter and exit in a long
continuous line, then the beam may never
have a chance to reestablish itself, and the
whole group and may only be counted as
one person. Or, if a library does not have a
bathroom inside of it space (or has an
attractive food cart in the parking lot),
patrons leaving briefly and coming back
in may give a misleading impression
about the number of unique users.
Infrared beams also provide a very
limited picture ofhow the space is being
used. Yet with some interpretation, and
careful setup, itcan be cost effective and
provide critical data. In practice infrared
beam counters are often combined in
libraries with othertechnologies, such as
magnetic strips in books, to perform the
most essential functions of tracking the
use of the space.The infrared beam gives
a rough estimateof the number of people
who are using a particular space, while
the magnetic strips that are placed
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 2 2019
MARCH
AN EMERALD PUBLICATION
LIBRARY HI TECH NEWS NUMBER 2 2019
CONTENTS
Through the looking glass
Through the looking glass: envisioning
new library technologies – people
trackingtechnologies..........1
Column
Information seeking in the age of the
datadeluge ................ 6
Feature articles
Pragmatic implications of embedded
librarianship in academics: a review
of eminent literatures . . . . . . . . . . 11
Resolving staff-patron conflicts with
digitization: one library’s
experience . . ..............17
Conference report
Conference report: innovation, interaction
. . . and a lot of data: first time
reflections on Internet Librarian
International, UK 2018. . . . . . . . . 21
Library Link
www.emeraldinsight.com/librarylink
LIBRARY HITECH NEWS Number 2 2019, pp. 1-5, V
CEmerald Publishing Limited, 0741-9058, DOI 10.1108/LHTN-10-2018-0068 1
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