[Web4lib] Could library automation systems track evacuees?

[Sunshine Jacinda Carter]

An automated tracking system might be difficult to implement.

As a former American Red Cross Disaster Associate, I know how 
unorganized a disaster situation can be.

Never enough power, never enough computers, no access to internet, cell 
phones don't work or no power to charge cell phones, land lines don't 
work, no paper for printers...I can go on and on.

You can prepare as much as you can, but the fact is nothing ever goes 
as it should, which is what a disaster is all about.  Paper tracking is 
portable and works without power, which in large disasters is often the 
case.  For some disasters, a national calling center is used where 
people call in from the shelter or other location to start the 
processing for assistance.

And to clarify from a previous e-mail......Although not perfect, the 
non-profit American Red Cross organizes or provides service for almost 
all human aspects of disasters...shelters, feeding, health services, 
mental health services, telecommunication systems (mostly ham radios), 
mass care, logistics, damage assessment...on a local and national level.

So although a computerized tracking system at each shelter would be 
terrific, in reality it might be the last service implemented in a 
large disaster.

Sunshine

-- 
Sunshine J. Carter
Reference / Electronic Resources Librarian
University of Minnesota Duluth Library
416 Library Drive
Duluth, MN  55812

Phone: (218) 726-6693
Fax:  (218) 726-8019
scarter at duluth.umn.edu




--On Tuesday, May 30, 2006 2:49 PM -0700 Jonathan Rochkind 
<jonathan at dnil.net> wrote:

> Sounds like a bad idea to me.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: John Fereira [mailto:jaf30 at cornell.edu]
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 2:06 PM
>> To: JOHN MARQUETTE; web4lib at webjunction.org
>> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Could library automation systems track
>> evacuees?
>>
>>> Although I have worked in a library for the past 10 years perhaps
>>> it's the previous 20 years working with technologies in the
>>> corporate world
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> I was in IT too before I made my jump.  I can't see an Oracle system
>> being set up overnight the way I could see a circ module go, even if
>> both were extensively pre-tested.  We know the FBI system can't do
>> it, every police department in the US seems to have a different
>> crime/criminal management system...and I don't know what the Red
>> Cross does except to keep paper records and affix toe tags.
>>
>>> Bar codes?   If you want to track the location of individuals that
>>> bracelet or necklaces should be GPS enabled.
>>
>> GPS:  Heck, if I wanted to do it right I'd put RFID chips on them.
>> Berkeley Public Library has put them in their collection (!) and
>> managed to convince city residents that their rights weren't
>> violated.  I didn't mention that (nor would I do it) because of the
>> flame war it would begin.  I put my asbestos britches on when I
>> clicked "send" on that message anyway...
>>
>>> An understanding of Inventory tracking logistics is hardly exclusive
>>> to library "professionals".  In fact, most commercial technology in
>>> use in libraries is more likely create by computer science
>> professionals.
>>
>> UPS could step up to the plate as a public gesture, as could FedEx or
>> any of the courier services.  Their IT systems are sufficiently
>> decentralized that they could work, plus they all have redundant
>> communications facilities (fiber, satellite, etc.).  I haven't heard
>> anything from them though.
>>
>> If NYPL can use Dynix Horizon for its ILS, it should work to track
>> people fleeing the Gulf Coast.  I would focus my concerns on
>> transmission capacity and being able to work offline.
>>
>>> While the idea is good in spirit I've seen too many email messages
>>> from students complaining about checking in books and then received
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>> Re: immigration - yeah, at least we wouldn't lose visa holders and we
>> have the Unique Collection Agency to gently persuade people to pay up
>> (or show up).
>>
>> I would rather be like a book than like a parcel.  I would like to
>> know that we'll be able to track people in the next Katrina.
>> Hurricane season starts Thursday.
>>
>> John Marquette
>>
>> I speak for myself, not my employer.
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