Today I went to the library to return a couple of books,
which I’d checked out two weeks ago. Recently, our library installed
self-checkout machines, where you can checkout, return, or renew books yourself.
So, I walked straight up to one machine and hit the ‘return’ button. A second
later, my two books appeared on the screen.
It took me a second before I realized something was
wrong. I hadn’t scanned my library card. I hadn’t even taken my wallet out of
my pocket. Moreover, I had not taken the two books out of my bag...
I looked around in the way you do when something isn’t right,
as though you expect to see your friends hiding by the corner of a bookshelf
laughing and pointing. There was nothing.
I can only assume that, somehow, the scanner managed to
pick up my two books through the bag. It’s a weak answer, but it’s the only one
I’ve got...unless the machine is reading fingerprints...
The libraries are now using the latest system, Heuristic Application for Libraries.
ReplyDeleteThe scanner could probably pick up the magnetic tags in the books.
ReplyDeleteRFID tags in the books.
ReplyDeleteAs per MBG comment they picked up the tags. You only need to scan your card to 'borrow' normally.
ReplyDelete