Week 6 Readings

1.) Wikipedia - LAN's

A good, but brief, article on LAN's. LAN's (Local Area Network) are computer networks for small physical areas. They usually use either WiFi or Ethernet to connect. They were developed out of necessity by larger universities and research labs for high speed interconnectivity and to share expensive disk space and laser printers.

I've had a good deal of experience working with LAN's. I've setup both wireless and wired LAN's. I've used Cat5 and Cat5e cables as well as wireless b/g to set up LAN's before. They are fairly simplistic to setup if you have a little bit of experience and are very useful for personal home use or to play computer games with your friends.

2.) Wikipedia - Computer Networks

An article with a general overview of computer networks. Computer networks are basically a group of interconnected computers. The connect to each other with either wires (ethernet, coax, etc.) or wirelessly (Wifi, Bluetooth, etc.). There are many different types of computer networks - depending upon what they are going to be used for - personal, local, campus, metropolitan. Wide Area Networks are a broad geographic area and the most popular one is what we call the Internet. You need some specific hardware in order to use computer networks. You will need your computer to have a network card, as well as hubs, switches (a more general term) and routers.

I've had a little bit of experience working with computer networks also; most of it was working specifically with LAN's as explained above. I've also worked with Personal Area Networks and a little bit with Campus Area Networks.

3.) Coyle - Management of RFID in Libraries

I had actually never heard of RFID before reading this article, so the article was very informative to me. After reading the article I realized I have used and been around RFID's for some time, I just didnt' know it. RFID (Radio Frequency Identifier) is similar to a barcode in what it does - but not how it does it. RFID uses electromagnetics as opposed to laser beams. It can also carry a lot more infromation than barcodes. RFID is very good for inventory functions. RFID in libraries could be even more useful than in retailbecause it will not be used as a "throw out." In libraries the RFID would be reused because books leave and then comeback as oppossed to in retail where something is sold and never returns.

RFID could also be useful for security measures in the library. It has a lot of problems in regards to security but it is no worse than what is already in place. It could also cut down on time and money in regards to security because you would not have to install two different systems.

Some problems libraries might experience with RFID is whether or not they would be able to be installed in magazines, pamphlests, sheet music, or other less sturdy items.

RFID is a fairly new technology and seems like it could be used well in libraries. There are a lot of advantages to it that libraries could take care off to save time and money. There are some problems with it though that libraries need to look into before deciding to switch over to it.