We are a school with a library, and we are considering adopting radio frequency identification. Can you tell me the approximate cost of a simple system for tracking 40,000 books and some audio-visual equipment?
—Roberta (Honolulu, Hawaii)
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Roberta,
To answer your question, I reached out to Bibliotheca RFID, a leading provider of RFID systems for libraries. Lamar Jackson wrote back with a rough estimate of $27,000. That includes 40,000 tags at 28 cents each, and a single gate reader for the exit, which costs approximately $9,900. It also includes three staff stations, for about $5,850. Based on articles we’ve written (click here to view a list), this kind of a system can greatly reduce time and labor for your staff. If you are currently paying your employees overtime, it could pay off very quickly.
—Mark Roberti, Editor, RFID Journal