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No RFID for San Francisco, But Proposed State Ban SoftenedThe city's budget committee approved increased funding of 5% for the San Francisco Public Library in a late-night budget meeting June 30, but rejected 4–1 the library's request for $680,000 to phase in microchip circulation technology at the Main Library and 28 branches. In a plan announced in May 2004, library commissioners proposed adopting radio frequency identification devices (RFID) to speed up check-out procedures, but the measure has been opposed by privacy advocates who fear the devices will jeopardize patron information.SFPL Public Affairs Director Marcia Schneider told American Libraries that although the Board of Supervisors was “not comfortable funding RFID during this budget round, the decision in no way diminishes the enormous goodwill that was demonstrated to library services during a difficult budget year for the city.” She added that the library's $62-million budget calls for “more money for books and materials, funding for Every Child Ready to Read and a Successful Teens initiative, and funds for Main Library building enhancements.” State legislators are also treating RFID technology with a measure of caution. The proposed Identity Information Protection Act (SB 682), introduced in February, originally called for a ban on the use of RFID in all identity documents in California. However, an amendment approved in late June replaced the ban with a three-year moratorium in cases where specific security controls are in place to prevent surreptitious access, according to the July 7 online RFID Journal. The bill specifies public library cards as falling under the moratorium, so if the bill passes the state assembly and is not vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, RFID tags will be permitted in state, county, or municipal library cards as of January 1, 2009. Posted July 8, 2005. |
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