[Web4lib] Could library automation systems track evacuees?

[Patricia F Anderson]

Sunshine, thank you so much for this experienced point-of-view. I have 
found myself (as a previously bleeding edge futuring tech type) in the 
ironic position of arguing for preserving low-tech collections of critical 
information as part of disaster planning and preparedness. I would 
encourage libraries to work with their communities on exercises to 
simulate disaster response scenarios, and also to keep no-power 
no-computer situations in mind as they select and weed electronic and 
print resources for their collections.

  -- Patricia Anderson, pfa at umich.edu

On Wed, 31 May 2006, Sunshine Jacinda Carter wrote:

> 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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>>> Web4lib mailing list
>>> Web4lib at webjunction.org
>>> http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>>> 
>> 
>> 
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