Our Library IT Services team have recently upgraded key digital services, making it easier to check out and return books. Part of this project includes new exit gates at each UCD library location.

RFID Project

The RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Project enables a seamless RFID infrastructure across our five library locations, and transitions the library towards Contactless Services. The delivery of this project is a key activity under Pillar 2 of the Library’s Strategic Plan, enabling us to harness technology to engage users and improve spaces, collections and services.

RFID refers to the technology whereby digital data encoded in RFID tags or smart labels are captured by a reader via radio waves. This technology has several advantages, including that the RFID tag data can be read outside the line-of-sight, whereas barcodes must be aligned with an optical scanner. 

It includes:

1. New security panels help protect our valuable collections, and are now in place in all UCD libraries. The panels detect when secured items are removed from the Library and allow for immediate identification of the item(s) that have caused the alarm to go off.

Security panels in the James Joyce Library

2. New Self-Service Kiosks with touchscreen interfaces. These kiosks provide users with a quick and simple self-service option to check out books and to view their Library Account. They can also be used to return borrowed books in all of our libraries, except the James Joyce Library.

Self-service kiosk in the James Joyce Library

3. New Automatic check-ins/returns that automatically update your Library Account.  All book returns in the James Joyce Library must be done using the new Internal Return Chutes.  Multiple books can be returned at the same time.

Where are they? The Internal Return Chutes are located at : James Joyce Library Admission Desk; left of the Information Desk in James Joyce Library; and in the lobby area of the Veterinary Medicine Building. There is also an external smart book returns box on the concourse in front of the James Joyce Library.

Internal return chute in the Veterinary Sciences Building

Smart returns box on concourse in front of the JJL

Contactless Services using the UCD Library App

The combination of the Library App and the RFID infrastructure provides users with access to self-service in the palm of their hand, and allows them check out books using their phones.

Download the app to get started - see the information here for more.

 

App self-service and the App digital library card

Access Control Gates

The access gates in both the Health Sciences and Blackrock libraries have been re-developed. The Health Sciences Library now has four lanes (two entry / two exit gates) to can accommodate higher volumes of traffic.

Access gates in the Health Sciences Library

New A-Z Databases List

Our improved A-Z Databases List enhances the learning and discovery experience of our users, improves their critical digital literacies, and promotes a wide range of Open Educational Resources (OERs).

This upgrade, launched on the 15th August, contributes to our strategic ambition to be a ‘Library of the Future’. The new listing, which aligns with the look and feel of the Library’s existing online presence, enables our users to:

• Browse our database resources alphabetically, or search by database name
• Organise and filter databases by subject and type
• Critically evaluate resources based on their description
• Link to databases in one-click from the new listing and from subject guides
• Quickly identify and utilise Open Access and free resources
• Easily discover new and trial resources