Unmanned library: an intelligent robotic books retrieval & return system utilizing RFID tags

Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems are widely used in Singapore to tag library books, library users can now borrow and return book on their own with ease, bypassing the human librarian. However, human librarians are still needed to man certain sections of the library which are of limited access or are on high loan traffic. This paper proposes the use of an intelligent robotic books retrieval and return system utilizing RFID tags which will pave the way for an umanned library. The paper begins with a discussion of the use of RFID technology in the libraries of Singapore and an overview of its relevance to library books tagging. The solution of an isolated robotic system is proposed with particular attention paid to the user station in which the books are identified and verified, modifications to the book shelves so that the robot can handle the books easily and finally the design of the robots. A prototype based on the isolated robotic system has been built and the results are discussed. The paper ends with a proposal of designing a robotic librarian team in manning a larger limited access section of the library.