[Publib] "I don't need my library card -- I've got my iphone!"

[Becky Rose]

Greetings,

 

I'm wondering if any of you have encountered patrons using their iphones "in place of" their library cards when doing self checkout, and if so, what have you "done about it" (if anything)? 

 

I am NOT an iphone owner, so I'm not sure if this is a specific "app" - or people simply taking a picture of their library barcode. Bottom line here, is that it WORKS on our self-checkout machines -- but some staff are concerned that a "policy" needs to be developed to "deal with" this. (As you know, resourceful patrons could actually recreate a scannable barcode any number of ways in the past -- but the iphone is definitely an "enabler".) We DO have language on our card application that says that patrons must have their card with them whenever they conduct "any library transaction", but if we "police" our self-checkout machines for iphone "creative users", that's obviously defeating their purpose.) 

 

Any comments/experiences/whatever would be appreciated,

 

Thanks,

 

-Becky Rose-

Cedar Mill Public Library

Cedar Mill, OR

beckyro at wccls.org

 

 

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