JustBooks RFID Implementation Upgrades Library Inventory Management and Customer Experience
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(UPM Raflatac, Tampere) - India-based library chain JustBooks is using RFID technology to automate its inventory management processes and enhance customer experience. JustBooks currently owns and loans over 160,000 library items in various categories. All are tagged with UPM Raflatac ShortDipole RFID tags converted into custom book labels by Great Eastern Impex.
JustBooks is a fast growing library chain that offers customers monthly or annual subscription plans adaptable to individual needs and interests. In this highly customer-oriented field of business, the company sought a solution to secure smooth and swift book circulation processes that would also give customers the freedom to independently and effortlessly issue and return books as well as carry out complementary actions - like checking their profile information, book searches based on title and author, adding books to their queue or requesting them for transfer.
JustBooks embeds RFID tags into each member card and every library item.
Customers use the membership card to log into an unmanned touch screen kiosk equipped with library management software and readers from ThingMagic. The handy kiosk can be used to issue and return books placed on a designated tray area and to carry out other complementary actions.
The library management software is mapped according to the library's layout and linked with inventory data and back-end. Using additional equipment, the library staff can easily check the correct location of any items that may have been misplaced and put them back in their original place for customers to find.
JustBooks chose RFID due to its superiority over other similar technologies, especially in terms of easy and fast implementation and operational stability as well as reliability and accuracy. Pleased with the results, the company is currently expanding its use of RFID.
"The benefits of RFID are clear - for example in terms of cost savings gained from a reduced need for manual work and labour force compared to traditional library operations. The achieved real-time visibility and efficiency in turn translate into improved processes and enhanced customer experience," says Edward Lu, Sales and Marketing Director, Asia, RFID, UPM Raflatac.
About UPM Raflatac
UPM Raflatac, part of UPM's Engineered Materials business group, is one of the world's leading suppliers of self-adhesive label materials and the world's number one producer of HF and UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and inlays. UPM Raflatac has a global service network consisting of 13 factories on five continents and a broad network of sales offices and slitting and distribution terminals worldwide. UPM Raflatac employs 2,600 people and made sales of approximately EUR 0.95 billion (USD 1.3 billion) in 2009. Further information is available at www.upmrfid.com.
About JustBooks
JustBooks clc is a new-generation community library chain that provides a unique reading experience to book lovers with a wide range of books for every type of reader, toddlers to teens, dabblers to bookworms, under a modern, vibrant ambience with effective use of technology. Like we love saying - At JustBooks, there is a book for everyone in the family. Proven practices from the retail industry, like warehouse backed operations with centralized inventory and some new-generation technology usage like a cloud-hosted infrastructure with RFID-enabled touch points, combine to meet the ultimate goal of every library - to get every book a reader and get every reader their book. Started by a team of retail and technology professionals, incubated and nurtured at NSRCEL - IIM Bangalore, JustBooks clc aspires to be the country's first networked pan-Indian community library chain catering for Indian reading requirements. Further information is available at justbooksclc.com.
About Great Eastern Impex
Great Eastern Impex Pvt. Ltd., est. 1983, is India's leading systems integrator and solution provider in Auto ID technologies (Barcode, Mobile computing, RFID, EAS & labelling solutions), aiding organizations to efficiently move goods and information across the supply chain and improve business productivity and profits. One of the largest RFID and barcode label, ticket (tags) and printing ribbon manufacturers (converter) with state-of-the-art operations at Gurgaon (ISO 9001: 2008 certified facility); Nationwide service support capability with strategically located regional offices at NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Hyderabad & Pune; Over 25 years' expertise in delivering value and innovation to a multitude of customers in manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses. Further information is available at www.geipl.com.
For further information, please contact:
Mr Edward Lu,
Sales and Marketing Director,
Asia, RFID,
UPM Raflatac, tel.
+65 9173 0884
