[OPLINLIST] Smart phone Library Card application

[Joe Knueven]

Could the concern of person A using somebody else library card be 
addressed simply by having library cards that are not in sequential order?

I mean, in theory, if a library accepts the card number alone as proof 
they have permission to use that account, then the person could use my 
card only if they know or can guess my card number.  To be honest, there 
are very few people I show my library card number to, and doubt any of 
them could remember it long enough to enter it into their smart phone, 
let alone have the desire to do so.

Even without issuing library cards with numbers that are out of order, 
could the library staff person simply confirm that they are who they say 
they are?  I will admit this could require retraining staff in some 
instances, but isn't that a normal part of technological change?

There are a wide variety of things in society that are number dependent 
(social security numbers, credit card numbers, driver's license numbers) 
and yet we are very rarely challenged to show some manner of photo id, 
especially in the manner that seems to me to be the most similar, making 
a credit card purchase.

Even that comparison doesn't hold very well, because while there is, as 
near as I can tell, only a few databases for the identity thief to check 
against when guessing credit card numbers, (if even that many) there are 
well over 100 different library patron databases in Ohio alone, each one 
potentially using a different series of numbers.

Perhaps I'm just not getting it, but I don't see where there is such a 
great security issue.
If you were to use my library card with your smart phone, how are you 
going to get my number in the first place?

I look forward to seeing the rest of the discussion.

Joe

Joseph Knueven
Director
Germantown Public Library
51 N. Plum St.
Germantown, OH 45327
937-696-9998,ext. 10


On 8/22/2011 11:42 AM, Avery Shifflett wrote:
>
> I'd actually like to see some more discussion on the security aspect of using barcode apps on smart phones.  I think Dan Will brought up an excellent point about patrons being able to enter any number they like.  I can see this becoming a huge problem.  Anyone tech savvy enough to use such an app will figure out that they can enter any number they like.  As long as the barcode meets the check digit, they can literally use anyone's account.
>
> Personally, I'm thinking that if we accept it, we need a photo ID as well (as the original poster asked).
>
> One person said: "there isn’t a way to verify that the person holding the card is the person you issued the card to, so why would the device be any different?", but I see it as being very different.  A physical card would have to be lost for someone else to use it, and the patron can report it lost/missing.  With a barcode app, anybody can use my account even though my physical card is safely tucked away.
>
>
> Thoughts anyone?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Avery Shifflett
> Carroll County District Library
>
>
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>
>
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>
> ========================================================================================
>
>
> Bruce,
>
>     I have not seen this and since I don’t have a “smartphone” I won’t be using it but, my opinion is that the library card was given to the patron as their method of identification. They knew that when they got the card. They cannot (reasonably) expect you to accept something else.  What prevents the user from putting just any number in the app and have it create a barcode that might actually be someone else’s number? I can see where this might be something to work towards for our patrons but, I think we need a way to control the id creation (unless there is security controls that I am unaware of).
>
> Be interesting to see how this plays out.
>
>
> Dan Will
> Technology Supervisor
> Meigs County District Public Library
> willda at oplin.org
> 740.992.5813
> 740.992.6140 (fax)
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