Background
- Faisal Islamic Bank is one of the major Islamic banks in Egypt. It was established in 1977 and is among the first banking institutions to operate under the Islamic banking system, which avoids dealing in interest and relies on a range of financial products compliant with Islamic Sharia.
- The bank offers personal financing services such as personal loans, real estate financing, and car financing, all in accordance with Islamic Sharia law. It also collaborates with companies to provide financial solutions such as working capital financing and funding for major projects.
- The bank offers various types of deposit accounts, including investment deposits and savings deposits. It also provides online banking services and mobile applications.
- Faisal Islamic Bank’s library is one of the prominent libraries in Egypt and is part of the bank’s commitment to enriching knowledge and educating the community. It is a specialized library focusing on Islamic Sharia and Islamic finance and supports scientific research and access to the latest studies in fields related to Islamic banking and economics.
- The library houses a wide range of books and academic journals focused on Islamic Sharia, Islamic economics, and finance. It also includes research references and recent studies covering general economic topics, in addition to those related to Islamic banks and their operations.
- The library allows researchers, students, and academics to access resources and research in Islamic finance. Its mission is to support education and research in areas related to Islamic economics, thereby enhancing Islamic cultural knowledge in this field. It also provides borrowing and consulting services to researchers.
Challenges
- The process of inventorying books and references was done manually, which required a great deal of time and effort from staff. This process used to take weeks to complete, causing disruptions in the library’s daily operations.
- Due to the manual method, there were human errors such as incorrect book records or missing items during inventory, leading to inaccurate reports about the library’s assets.
- Tracking books and references was done manually, making it difficult to locate specific items at any given time, especially with the large number of assets in the library.
- The manual inventory process required a significant number of staff, resulting in very high labor costs.
Solution
- The library decided to implement RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to enhance the efficiency of inventory and tracking processes. This technology involves placing an RFID tag on each book or asset in the library, along with RFID readers that can remotely read the data stored in the tags.
- RFID tags were installed on all books and references in the library. These tags contain unique data for each item, such as title, author, and copy number, allowing each book to be individually identified.
- RFID readers were installed at library entrances and in inventory areas. These devices can read data from multiple books at once, enabling easy updates of records and location tracking of assets.
- A Library Management System was developed and integrated with RFID technology. This system tracks the movement of books by reading the tags and analyzing the data in real-time, allowing instant updates to records.
Effects
- With RFID readers, the time required for inventory was significantly reduced. Multiple books can now be scanned at once, instead of checking each book manually. This made the inventory process faster and more efficient.
- The use of RFID reduced human errors that used to occur during manual inventory, such as incorrect data entry or missing books. The process became more accurate and reliable.
- It became easier to track the exact location of books and references at any time. Thanks to RFID technology, the precise location of a book in any corner of the library can now be identified, saving time and facilitating access.
- The need for a large number of staff to conduct inventory was reduced, which led to lower labor costs. The time that was previously consumed by manual inventory is now better utilized in improving library services.
- RFID technology improved the library’s ability to manage inventory more efficiently. Book and reference records can now be updated automatically and accurately, providing continuously updated information about the assets.
- With the implementation of RFID, Faisal Islamic Bank’s library was able to improve the efficiency of inventory and tracking processes, reduce human errors, enhance user and researcher experience, and lower costs and save time, all contributing to improved operational performance within the library.
