Utilization of radio frequency identification technology for privacy and security of information resources in universities in Katsina State

Abstract

This research work investigated “Utilization of Radio Frequency Identification Technology for Privacy and Security of Information  Resources in Universities in Katsina State, Nigeria.” The investigation was guided by four objectives: which sought to find out the types of  RFID technology available for librarians, the procedures for the use of RFID technology by librarian and the barrier faced by librarians in  the use of RFID technology for privacy and security of information resources in universities in Katsina State. Quantitative research  method was adopted for the study, using descriptive survey design. The target populations for this study consisted all librarians in the  two university libraries in Katsina State. The total numbers of librarians in these libraries are one hundred and twenty-nine (129). The  entire members of the population were used because the size of the population is small and manageable by the researcher. The  instrument for data collection was open and closed ended questionnaires. The data collected from the field was sorted, organized,  presented and analyzed using inferential statistics in forms of Mean and Standard Deviation. The study found out that Low Frequency, High Frequency and Passive Frequency RFID technology are the types of RFID technology available for librarians for privacy and security  of information resources in the two universities in Katsina State. Furthermore, the study also found among other the barriers faced by  librarians in the use of RFID technology for privacy and security of information resources in universities in Katsina State were the high  cost of using RFID and the performance of the exit sensors. The research recommends among others that the university libraries and  librarians should look for alternative sources to purchase or subscribe RFID technology for privacy and security of information resources  though donor agencies such as; IFLA, UNESCO and the rest.