Wednesday, June 12, 2013

The Use Of Plastic Library Cards

By Liliana Mills


Plastic library cards are items that are designed for the sake of safety in book stores. These usually serve as an identification document for a group of people. This is in a bid to only let in those who are authorized and leave out unauthorized people from the use of the libraries.

The use of the cards is employed due to a number of reasons. Usually, they also are fashioned for a particular group of people. Some are normally meant for use by foreigners. These are people who are not members of an institutions but wish to use their facilities for academic projects. They usually have to produce these identification documents on demand, since they lack those belonging to member of institutions. Other cards are those identity gadgets given to all members of institutions. Since they always have to present them, foreigners are definitely identified since they lack them.

The use of these cards has a series of advantages. Among them is the fact that their use gives the places where they are applied a corporate status. It is a great sign of organization and a good arrangement to get activities running smoothly. Their use also safeguards against accessing of these study places by unauthorized persons. This is because they are used as identification documents before anyone is mandated to enter the rooms. As such, theft and loss of publications is really minimized.

The cards are usually of different designs. Some may just be plain with only a number assigned to a particular individual. The number is then electronically stored. Verification of the identity of the individual is done using the number and the name in the computer against the national identity of the individual. Some places may design theirs such that they contain the name of the person, the photo and the name. These are usually the best and the safest.

A series of disadvantages is attached to the use of these items. For the category lacking the photos more especially, they may be used for fraudulent activities. Thieves may steal them, hack into the software of the involved book store and alter details. Through this, theft as well as insecurity may get into the affected places, leading to many losses both to the owners and to the people entitled to use the place.

These items are normally of a price affordable to all classes of people. All one needs is the willingness to apply. They have also been highly recommended by many institutions. The government has also put safety measures in public book stores.

These items like any other may get lost. In such cases, the laid down protocol of replacement has to be followed. Investigations have to be done to ascertain that the complainant is the rightful owner of the card claimed lost, after which another one is prepared and presented to them.

The use of plastic library cards has been embraced by a number of libraries and has proven effective in safeguarding the property of the libraries.




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