[OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] smartphone apps instead of library card

[Holly Brennan]

One issue is that our library card numbers are only 5 digits long. ☹ It would be extremely easy for someone to type in an incorrect, yet valid, card number of another patron. At least with a self-check machine there’s the option to require a PIN as well.

So you only require a scan-able barcode and nothing else? Any instances of patrons protesting because they have items on their accounts they didn’t check out?

Thanks, Rogan.

-Holly

From: Open-ils-general [mailto:open-ils-general-bounces at list.georgialibraries.org] On Behalf Of Rogan Hamby
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2015 12:24 PM
To: Evergreen Discussion Group
Subject: Re: [OPEN-ILS-GENERAL] smartphone apps instead of library card

My library accepts them so long as the scanner can scan them.  Making staff type in the number would be cumbersome with our lines.

I know that there have been some customizations libraries have done in the past to store signatures and photos but our attitude is, we normally just accept a barcode without much inquiry as to who they are and this isn't much different.


On Tue, Oct 27, 2015 at 4:21 PM, Holly Brennan <haderhold at ci.homer.ak.us<mailto:haderhold at ci.homer.ak.us>> wrote:
Are any Evergreeners accepting smartphone apps that store card barcodes? (CardStar, Keyring, etc) Or I guess I should ask, WHO is doing this?

To keep this Evergreen related, are you using anything in the staff client to verify patrons are who their phone says they are? We don’t like that anyone can type in any card number and have it generate a barcode. There needs to be some identification (photo ID? Ask birthdate?). It just dawned on me that any library with self-checkout must be dealing with this regardless of whether the practice is in the library’s policy.

Curious what you’ve come up with to use, besides asking for an ID, in addition to the barcode app. We’re dreaming of an Evergreen app that includes something like these “loyalty” apps, but specific to our library….

-Holly

Holly Brennan
Library Technology Specialist
Homer Public Library, Alaska

hbrennan at cityofhomer-ak.gov<mailto:hbrennan at cityofhomer-ak.gov>
907-235-3180<tel:907-235-3180> (main)
907-435-3154<tel:907-435-3154> (direct)




--

Rogan Hamby, MLS, CCNP, MIA
Managers Headquarters Library and Reference Services,
York County Library System

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
― C.S. Lewis<http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1069006.C_S_Lewis>
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