Local Area Network-- Wikipedia
LAN is the network type that most people are probably familiar with because it connects computers and devices in a small area such as your home, office, or school. Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the two most common types today. LAN came about in the 1970s due to universities and research labs wanting to connect multiple computers. LANs can be connected to other LANs.
Common Networks-- Wikipedia & Youtube video
There are many different types of networks out there, but they all do the same thing--allow the connected computers and devices to share resources and information. This includes having multiple computers hooked up to the same printer and having a network drive that can be accessed from any computer on the network. Networks can be classified based on the hardware and software used to connect the individual devices. But networks are commonly classified by their size, or scale. LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), MAN (metropolitan area network), and CAN (campus area network) are some of the most common ones. Something such as a MAN stretches across a huge geographic area (a city for instance) while a PAN (personal area network) is used for communication among devices close to one person.
Management of RFID in Libraries
This article made a very good case for the use of RFID technology in libraries. It would allow staff to accomplish some tasks more quickly and efficiently thus saving labor, time, and money. Someone's got to like that (even if it's just the library director who is trying to cut budgets). It might even allow patrons to check out their own books. But on the flip side this would also decrease personal interaction at the library. And personally, one of the things I like most about libraries is that personal interaction you have with staff behind the circulation or reference desks. So I think RFID might be a great loss while at the same time offering great gains.
Concerning your response to the RFID article, I think that personal interaction at libraries is something that as of the present is necessary for many people. In larger libraries, the interaction at the reference desks can be very beneficial, especially for people that are not accustomed to the newer technology of libraries. If the privacy issues, among others, could be addressed concerning RFID in libraries, then libraries should consider if the implementation of RFID would ultimately benefit patrons with the possible lack of personal interaction.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with the idea of the value of interaction at the library; I do appreciate Coyle's comparison to ATM machines, which give customers a quick, hassle-free experience; on the other hand, the result is that the only time that people interact with bank tellers is when there is a problem. Put differently, human interaction takes place only when there is a problem with technology, and therefore interaction tends to be negative because its based on there being a problem. There are several good arguments in favor of RFID technology, but the effect on interaction is likely an important consideration as well.
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