The 8th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2014)
An RFID-Based Library Management System Using
Smart Cabinets: A Pilot Project
Anastasis C. Polycarpou1, Theodoros Samaras2, and John N. Sahalos1,2
1
University of Nicosia Research Foundation, UNRF, Nicosia, Cyprus
2
Radio-Communications Laboratory, Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AUTH, Thessaloniki, Greece
Abstract—An intelligent Library Management System (LMS)
based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) was built as a
pilot project for the university library. A Graphical User
Interface (GUI) was carefully designed to support all necessary
library functionalities and user needs. Different types of shelf
antennas were designed and fabricated aiming at 100% tag
readability in a low-SAR environment for the library users.
Prototype smart cabinets were built and tested using different
types of near-field shelf antennas ensuring confined coverage in
the vicinity of the shelf, thus avoiding unwanted identification of
books residing at nearby shelves. SAR simulations were
performed in the presence of human phantom models positioned
at a close distance to the cabinet. The shelf antennas were
optimized in such a way as to maximize tag readability and
minimize electromagnetic pollution in the vicinity of the cabinet.
Index Terms—RFID, near-field antennas, propagation,
specific absorption rate, library management system.
I. Introduction
This is an on-going pilot project where RFID technology
finds a useful and potentially promising application in the field
of library science [1]. The idea is to design and deploy an
intelligent Library Management System (LMS) for the
university library in order to replace the existing barcode
system in an attempt to improve productivity and reduce labor
cost. Specifically, the proposed RFID-enabled LMS will be
able to a) provide stock management including inventory
monitoring, identification of missing or lost library items, and
locating books on shelves with the push of a button; b)
implement item security measures against possible thefts often
occurred in libraries; c) eliminate time-consuming processes
when checking items out of the library or returning items to the
library (i.e. implementation of self-check-out/in counters).
Today’s LMS’s are based on barcode or magnetic tape
technology that require line-of-sight and time consuming
circulation processing of each individual book. Therefore,
frustrating circulation delays are experienced by both library
personnel and library users. Furthermore, individual barcode
scanning for each book multiplies risky repetitive motion of
circulation staff, which is considered a major drawback by
librarians. Finally, barcode technology, due to its inherent
limited read range, is inappropriate for automated stock taking
or for quick locating misplaced items – which are often
declared “lost” – resulting in significant replacement costs.
978-88-907018-4-9/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE 2954
The project at hand is aiming at the development of a
scalable, low cost, UHF-based RFID system that can be
effectively controlled by a user-friendly software platform in
order to provide automatic and labor-free monitoring of the
library inventory (e.g., book shelves). The same system will be
used to add a new book to the library’s database by assigning
an RFID tag, to self-check-out books from the library, to return
books to the library, to monitor the library portal, and to locate
missing items on the smart book-shelves. The initial
deployment cost can be reduced by reducing the number of
RFID readers through the use of multiplexing. The idea is to
utilize 1-to-8 multiplexers in order to increase the number of
shelves covered by a single reader. Another major cost burden
is the shelf antennas. The main objective of this pilot project is
to design and fabricate effective shelf antennas based on
simple ideas and cheap materials.
II. Graphical User Interface
A user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) was
developed by the involved research team in order to provide all
routine functionalities required by library personnel on a daily
basis. This GUI fully interfaces with the RFID hardware and
database server. The network of RFID readers and
multiplexers is easily configured through the GUI providing
flexibility and transparency to the library IT administrator.
Same is true for the various function items used by library staff
and users such as stock taking, searching for a book on the
shelves, checking in/out a book, adding a new book to the
database, etc.
III. Near-Field Shelf Antennas
The design of near-field antennas suitable for the check-out
counter and cabinet shelves was indeed a major challenge. The
main objective of the research team was to design antennas
that can effectively read tags in the near vicinity of the antenna
avoiding identification of tagged items residing at nearby
shelves and desk-tops. In addition, as the number of shelf
antennas is proportional to the number of cabinets, it was
important that an effort was placed to limit potentially harmful
electromagnetic radiation toward library staff and users. Thus,
the antenna design should be optimized both in terms of tag
 The 8th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP 2014)

readability and reduced Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). As a

result, all the antennas designed in the context of this project
are simulated using SEMCAD-X in order to calculate the
corresponding SAR values in human phantom models. More
details on SAR simulations using shelf antennas developed in
the context of this project are given in [2].
The first near-field shelf antenna fabricated for the purpose
of the project was the one published by Medeiros et al [3].
Strictly speaking, this is not really an antenna but rather a 50-
ohm microstrip line built on foam which is terminated by a 50- Fig. 2: A stack of books sitting on the shelf antenna (left); Optimizing the RL
ohm resistive load. The microstrip was excited by an N-type by changing the width of the microstrip and adding a matched load (right).
female connector perpendicular to the strip. The length of the
microstrip was 96 cm (the one presented in [3] was 100-cm TABLE 1. READABILITY OF MICROSTRIP LINE Pin 27 dBm
long). As the Return Loss (RL) of this design – at the Tag Position Tag Orientation Readability (%)
frequency band of interest – was relatively high (~ 10 dB), the
highest power level that could be applied to the antenna input Bottom Horizontal 100
was 27 dBm. For a higher power level, the reader (Impinj Middle Horizontal 85
Speedway® Revolution) was shutting down for self-protection. Top Horizontal 74
A wooden cabinet (see Fig. 1) was built with a total of 4
Bottom Vertical 85
shelves. A picture of the shelf antenna, made of a wooden
frame, is illustrated in Fig. 2 (left). In this figure, the feeding Middle Vertical 59
coax and the N-type female connector are clearly shown Top Vertical 55
underneath the panel antenna. We placed 27 books on the shelf
which were tagged using a Higgs-3 ALIEN short dipole inlay Additional near-field antenna designs are currently being
tag (ALN-9662) having read sensitivity of -14 dBm. The tags worked on including a meander line with a matched load and a
were placed first horizontally and then vertically inside the microstrip line coupled to a slot array on an FR-4 substrate.
cover page of each book. Three positions were chosen: bottom, The objective is to achieve a good antenna design permitting
middle, and top. The input power was set to 27 dBm. The tag readability only in the volume of the shelf and to exhibit
effectiveness of the near-field antenna to detect and identify reduced SAR for nearby library users and personnel.
the tagged books on the shelf was tested in a laboratory
environment for the three possible positions of the tag and the
two possible orientations. The results on tag readability are IV. Conclusions
tabulated in Table 1. As can be seen, the bottom position and A pilot project on the development of an intelligent LMS
horizontal orientation of the tag result in 100% readability. for the university library was presented. A GUI was developed
The aforementioned microstrip line terminated by a 50— in order to provide all major functionalities required by library
ohm resistive load was improved by adding a second output staff and users. The design of near-field antennas is a major
port terminated with a matched load whereas the microstrip challenge. Couple of designs were built and tested. Additional
width was reduced from 5 cm to 3.8 cm in order to improve designs will be considered during the course of the project.
the RL. By increasing the RL from approximately 10 dB, in
the case of W=5 cm, to 30 dB, in the case of W=3.8 cm – at
the frequency band of interest – the absolute power reflected Acknowledgment
back to the reader is significantly reduced (see Fig. 2 - right). This research is funded by the Structural Funds of the
Consequently, the input power level can be raised from 27 European Union (EU) and the Cyprus Research Promotion
dBm to as high as 31.5 dBm without shutting down the reader. Foundation (RPF) under the grant with protocol number
Fig. 2 illustrates the RL and Insertion Loss (IL) of the modified ΤΠΕ/ΟΡΙΖΟ/0311(ΒΙΕ)/03.
microstrip design indicating the improvement in the RL after
the width of the microstrip was reduced from 5 cm to 3.8 cm.
References

[1] M. G. Linguist, :RFID in Libraries – Introduction to the Issues,” World

Library and Information Congress: 69th IFLA General Congress and
Council, Berlin, Aug. 2003.
[2] J. Markakis, T. Samaras, A. C. Polycarpou, and J. N. Sahalos, “An
RFID-Enabled Library Management System Using Low-SAR Smart
Bookshelves” 2013 ICEAA Conference, Torino, Italy, Sept. 2013.
[3] C. R. Medeiros, J. R. Costa, and C. A. Fernandes, “RFID Reader
Fig. 1. Smart cabinet comprised of 4 shelf antennas. Antennas for Tag Detection in Self-Confined Volumes at UHF,” IEEE
Antennas and Propag. Magazine, Vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 39-50, April 2011.

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