Eleven new self-service terminals based on radio frequency identification have been launched in eight Moscow libraries. According to the press service of the Moscow Department of Culture, the total number of such stations has now reached 45 in 19 institutions. A reader selects books, places them on the platform, scans the tag, and enters the number of their unified library card – the data is instantly added to their profile.
The technological basis is miniature RFID tags embedded in each publication. The chip contains information about the book's status, which allows for automatic recording of issuance and return without the involvement of a librarian. Security gates are installed at the exit, reading the tags to prevent theft.
A portable reader allows staff to conduct a complete inventory of the book collection in a few minutes, simply by walking past the shelves.
The stations are located in libraries No. 67, No. 91 named after Voynich, No. 23 named after Gorky, No. 100, No. 76 named after Lermontov, No. 180 named after Fyodorov, No. 122 named after Green, and No. 128 named after Sholokhov. In total, the RFID infrastructure covers more than two million copies of literature throughout the city.