A proposal on the use of smart card as library card for De La Salle University Library

• Main Authors: Choa, Eugene, Golekoh, Wellington
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1999
• Subjects: Library cards; Smart cards; Industrial Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/4421
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study aims to improve the current design of the library card system of De La Salle University. From the surveys and time study gathered, the need for an improvement of the current library card system was established. Seventy one percent (71%) of the library users, consisting of students, faculty, staff, say that there is a need to improve the service time in making book transaction especially in the Book Circulation section and the Filipiniana Section. It takes each user an average of 41.58 seconds to make a single book transaction. Furthermore, eighty nine percent (89%) of the users are not in favor of showing both their library card and ID upon entering each restricted section inside the library since it takes time and effort. In addition to this, issuance of library card gives added burden to library personnel and takes 47.47 seconds to issue a single library card. Since most of the computers inside the library are dependent on the network of the university, library personnel especially in the Book Circulation and the Filipiniana section experience difficulty in doing manual work when the computer system fails. According to the administration, a average downtime of 20 minutes per week occurs. As of today, the smart card technology is the most widely used technology in the industry and the most suitable technology that will cater to the needs of the library. Thus, various literatures related to the study were taken, such as concepts and guidelines on the smart card, smart card applications, and library system of other universities. After which, the study was able to produce a prototype, which was developed in order to maximize the quality of service rendered to library users. Based from the result of the study, there was a significant reduction of book transaction time from 41.58 seconds to 5.76 seconds. However, with regards to library entrance, there were no significant changes. Issuance of smart library card will be automated and will be done only at the beginning of implementation. And with the technology of the card and its capability to store data, synchronization of data can be integrated in the computer system, thereby eliminating manual work. Thus, successfully proving that the smart card as the new library card can cater to the needs of the present library system and positioning De La Salle University towards global competence.