Chueh-sheng Memorial Library has Gotten Smarter 淡江大小事

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Chueh-sheng Memorial Library has Gotten Smarter

Date 2014-10-16 9302 Clicks

FENG, WEN-HSING

There’s a saying that goes, “If you open a book, you open a new world.” Through reading we are able to open a realm of endless possibilities both fictional and nonfictional. We are allowed to peak into the writer’s mind and share their wisdom and experiences. Each book is a special gift and the second floor of the Chueh-sheng Memorial Library has just made it even more convenient to access.

The new system for finding, organizing and returning literature uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology. Now the shelves have become “smart shelves” that send information about each book through an automated system. It is a completely new experience that seems like something from a sci-fi novel. Dean of the Library, Sheue-fang Song, stated, “Before when someone wanted to reserve a book, they had to wait until the reader returned it, sometimes unaware of all of the books we had to offer. Now they can come here and browse for a book on our system whether or not it’s here, allowing each book to get a lot more use. We spent the summer time remodelling and redesigning the library system to make it more convenient and more comfortable.”

Students are able to look through the computerized catalogue to search for and reserve books. They are allowed to reserve up to 6 books at once. Director of the Circulation Services, Chiu-hsia Shih, stated, “The New UHF RFID Smart Shelves display the status of any book on the LCM screen. As soon as there is any change on the shelf, the monitor automatically makes adjustments.”

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