[Web4lib] Library cards

[Norma Jean Hewlett]

1.
I'm at an academic library, where our students IDs function both as library
cards and as campus debit cards. We run into 2 main problems, otherwise the
system seems to work well and has relieved us of a lot of change-making and
other hassles.
Problems:
1. It takes about 4 hours after the the cards are loaded before the money is
available for use. This may be because we use an online system - I don't
know if the ATM type loaders they use at the main campus have this problem.
2. At the moment, the card reader box is not working properly. We have been
waiting 3 weeks now for somebody to come up and fix it. In the meantime,
staff are entering a code for each user. So far as I know, the copy center
is paying for these copies, but I'm not sure.

On Wed, Nov 3, 2010 at 2:17 PM, Sarah Campany <sarahcamp at verizon.net> wrote:

> 1. I am wondering if any public libraries are using library cards that
> patrons can preload with funds to pay for library services like printing and
> copying. Right now we only have "coin boxes" that take coins , $1s and $5s.
> Often patrons have no cash at all or we end up making change.  Going to some
> sort of credit card payment system might be an option too. But then patrons
> with out credit cards (including kids) couldn't use it.
>

2.
You might investigate using QR codes for this. They work great for
dispensing information - people scan them with their smartphones and get
linked info. Not sure if they would be secure enough for this kind of
transaction.

Jean Hewlett
Librarian, Santa Rosa Campus
University of San Francisco

>
> 2. Some patrons try to use their library barcode on their smartphone. Our
> scanners won't read the barcode and we won't use the library card number
> because we don't have any control over the security of the card number. But
> it seems like in some ways it is more secure. If i drop my card in the
> parking lot, someone could pick it up and use it.  My iphone is password
> protected. How are your libraries handling this?
>
>
>
>
>
>
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