RFID Propels the Angkasa Library Management System

Radio$-$frequency identification $($RFID$)$ can play a key role in library management. The major advantage of using RFID is that it ensures traceability and security. In addition, RFID simplifies transactional processes at the library and can help to cut costs and save time. Across the globe, libraries are setting up the infrastructure for RFID as a replacement for manual management or barcodes. RFID tags can be embedded within a book, and unlike other forms of labeling, these tags can store additional information, like author and title. Using this system also speeds up the process of checking books in and out, prevents theft, and helps in inventory management. The Allianze University College of Medical Sciences $($AUCMS$)$ has successfully set up RFID tagging as part of its library management system. AUCMS is a premier institute offering courses in medicine and applied health sciences in Penang, Malaysia. The institution has a vast array of resources, including books, journals, newspapers, and e$-$books, and the library caters to a large population of students and staff. AUCMS partnered with the Sains Group, which is a globally renowned software solutions and IT services provider, to install and implement the the company$$s Angkasa Library Management system. This system manages many of the core functions of the library, including acquisition, cataloguing, circulation, subscriptions to journals, and the management of an open$-$access catalog available to members on the Web. The system is primarily useful as a repository of all library records. It enables the automatization of library processes that would earlier have been manual and paper$-$based. The Acquisition Module manages the process of acquiring the books, magazines, journals, and other materials for the library. This automates the entire process of acquisition, from the approval of orders to placing them, the recording of receipts and invoices to management of expenditure and maintenance of budgets. In a typical instance, lists of required reading material are sent over to the library heads, a final list is determined, and all of the important information is recorded on the system $($invoice numbers, supplier names, and so on$).$ The system provides a printable order form, which is then signed off on by the library head and sent to suppliers. Information on newly acquired books is entered into the system through the Cataloguing Module, which assigns classification numbers to each book. Data is entered in the standard machine$-$readable format AACR$2,$ which stands for Anglo$-$American Cataloguing Rules. Based on this standard format, the technical department enters details into the system, which then generates an index card in the same format. This card serves as an index for searching, and makes import$/$export of bibliographic data in standard exchange formats possible. The Circulation Module performs all the functions related to circulation, providing suitable checks at every stage. Since books may be circulated for multiple reasons such as book binding and display, in addition to being issued to members, this module records the current status of a circulated library item. The Serials Management Module controls the library$$s subscriptions to periodicals and monitors the scheduled arrival of individual issues in addition to recording budget information. An important part of the library management system is the Online Public Access Catalog $($OPAC$),$ which provides online access to library resources. The OPAC module supports keyword searches in many languages, and page navigation is userfriendly. Since the catalog is Web$-$enabled, this makes it very easy to keep