Books are one of the most valuable assets anyone can possess. Even though the times have changed, and now book reading has shifted from traditional settings to e-book reading services, still the charm of sitting comfortably and reading an actual book will always be of its kind. Like every other asset in an educational institute and general settings, books need equal security and safety from thefts. This is because books are not just a plethora of information, but years of hard work of researchers, analysts, observers and thinkers. Books have the tedious duty of transferring knowledge across students of every generation, race, colour and ethnicity, hence safety of these assets should be guaranteed in any library, anywhere. Surprisingly, statistics of book thefts from libraries worldwide are alarmingly high, probably because the instances of getting caught are quite low. Students and generally readers are not willing to spend money to purchase actual reading materials, and sometimes a book or journal is so rare that its availability in a particular library makes it worth stealing for anyone.
IT tools and technologies have helped every other industry in excelling ahead and speeding up otherwise slow and time-consuming processes. AI and new software can help libraries in not just managing book inventories, but also taking care of them and keeping a stern eye on misplacements and thefts. Let’s probe into some techniques and solutions that technology and IT tools can provide libraries to avoid thefts and malicious activities:
1. Tags:
Computerised tags having unique numbers shall be applied to libraries. This is an old-fashioned process and was mostly done manually by the librarian. However, today, if computerised codes are provided for each item in the library, thefts can be controlled to some extent. These tags should be turned on and off with the issuing of a book i.e. the tag shall be turned on when the book is returned from the one who has issued it, and it shall be turned off when the book is taken for reading purposes.
2. Barcodes:
The most recent and widely used technique for formulating book databases in a library is the barcode system. Through this, every book that is present in the library has its information and details fed into the system or computer operated by the librarian. This information includes the shelf where the book is placed, who it was issued to and for how many days, how many times has the book been issued etc. These barcodes have helped librarians a great deal globally, in taking all the necessary information of their books and other materials.
3. MIS or Management Information System:
The system that integrates information and enables managers and users of this information to efficiently run a department is called the Management Information System. MIS systems are surely the need of the hour because of the ever-increasing books in libraries, and other research materials needed by students and teachers alike. Through MIS, books are updated or discarded, keeping in view the needs of the students. MIS allows selective cataloguing which enables librarians to buy new books and journals for providing easy access to everyone. MIS not only stores and disseminates information in an ideal way but also helps in apt and timely decision-making, ensuring the safety of literary assets possessed by libraries.
4. OPAC or Online Public Access Catalogue:
This IT tool allows users and librarians to stay in touch through a database. Instead of visiting the library premises, readers can order books, journals and reading materials online, which can be delivered through library facilities or in most cases, be made available online. This is convenient for both parties because the chance of theft is almost zero, as access to the E-book or e-journal is provided to the reader for only a limited number of days. Once the issue date ends, the book is automatically locked. In this way thefts and copyright infringements are minimised, protecting books and journals to a large extent. The use of ITAM Software would protect software like OPAC used by many libraries worldwide, updating it regularly and repairing it when needed.
5. Other Ways of Digital Preservation of Literary Assets:
In today’s digitised age, technology integration is equally important for school and university libraries, to keep a keen eye on books, journals, reading materials and other literary possessions. This incorporation would enable libraries to arrange reading materials by order of chronology, separating in-demand and out-of-demand publishing, archiving unneeded and overused materials, and showcasing the more looked-for and necessary books. In this way, AI tools and software have eased the work of librarians and management to a great extent. Books are now more protected and thefts have been curtailed to a large extent because of better management and scanning procedures.
Hence, to summarise it is safe to say that technology and digital assets, if used wisely and strategically cannot only help in minimising book thefts and stealing of literary materials but also aid in the preservation of these valuable treasures of information.
Andrea Parker is a reporter for Zobuz. She previously worked at Huffington Post and Vanity Fair. Andrea is based in NYC and covers issues affecting her city. In addition to her severe coffee addiction, she’s a Netflix enthusiast, a red wine drinker, and a voracious reader.
