A Librarian’s Field Guide to
Near Field Communication

Sheli McHugh (@shelitwits)
Cataloging & Metadata Librarian, University of Scranton
Kristen Yarmey (@kristenyt)
Digital Services Librarian, University of Scranton

www.slideshare.net/kristenyt

What is NFC?
(Near Field Communication)

What is NFC?
A way for devices to
transmit and receive
information
wirelessly
at close range

What is NFC?
An evolution of
RFID
(Radio-Frequency Identification)

How does it work?
Initiator Target
(read/write mode)
Passive communication

How does it work?

How does it work?
Initiator Target
(card emulator mode)
Passive communication

How does it work?
Initiator Target
(read/write mode)
Passive communication

How does it work?
Initiator, then target Target, then initiator
(peer-to-peer mode) (peer-to-peer mode)
Active communication

How does it work?

How does it work?

What is NFC?
“a game changer”
“the biggest shift in technology since
the iPhone”
“from smartphones to to
superphones”

When is it coming?

When is it coming?
• Already popular in Asia
• Some phones already NFC enabled
– Samsung Nexus S, Galaxy S II
– BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930
– Nokia C7, N9
– HTC Ruby
– Other phones via SIM or microSD card
…iPhone 5?

When is it coming?
• By 2012, “everyone will know what horse
we’re betting on.” (James Anderson, MasterCard)
• By 2014, 1 in 5 cell phones will be NFC-
enabled (Juniper)
• By 2015, 1 in 2 cell phones will be NFC-
enabled (Sy Choudhury, Qualcomm)
… but will consumers be interested?

What can it do?

Mobile payment

Mobile payment

Mobile payment

Mobile payment

Mobile payment

Mobile payment

Mobile payment

Mobile payment
“Anyone who thinks they
can build a wallet is going
to build a wallet.”
(Omar Green, Intuit)

Mobile payment
• The competition
– ISIS (AT&T, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile)
• Non-NFC competitors
– Visa Wallet
– Serve by American Express
– PayPal
• Who even knows:
– Apple? (Feb ‘11 patent)

Mobile payment
• But do consumers really want it?
– 63% of MasterCard survey takers aged 18-
34 would be “comfortable using their mobile
phones to make purchases”
– But only 34% of ages 35+ agree

Mobile payment
“We think 2012 will be a
transitional year for mobile
payments.”
(Brad Greene, Visa)

Keys
• Yale Locks demonstrated a residential
NFC system in September

Keys
• Arizona State University pilot with dorm
room keys
• 90% of student participants wanted to
use their phones to open other doors on
campus
• Students also wanted to use phones for
meal plans, game tickets, and laundry

Keys
• Clarion Hotel in Stockholm piloted NFC
hotel keys

Keys
• KeyLink Lite from NXP Semiconductors
– Diagnostic data from your car, stored in your
key fob
– Where did you park?
– Do you need gas?
– When was your last
oil change?

Keys
• NFC library cards?
– Easier access to library computers and
printers?
– Build upon existing uses of RFID in libraries

Mobile marketing

Mobile marketing

Mobile marketing

Mobile marketing
• Mobile marketing for libraries?
– Embed NFC tags in library posters and ads
• Easy registration for library events
– Collaborative marketing
• Tap your phone at the library for discounts at
local coffeeshop or museum?

Social media

Social media
• At Google’s I/O conference in May,
attendees checked in on foursquare via
NFC

Social media
• Google+ is NFC enabled!
• Other possibilities:
– Location or event check-ins
– Sharing contact information
– Friending or liking

Social media
• NFriendConnector
– NFC Forum Competition
– German University created an app,
NFriendConnector, that integrates with
Facebook
– People can exchange data through their
phone
– Update status with location
– Option to match your interests and hobbies

Gaming
• Multiplayer gaming
• Real world Easter eggs:
– Tap phone on an NFC tag, get a new level
– Play in a certain location, get in-game reward
– Buy licensed merchandise with NFC tag, get in-
game reward
• Turn a screen-based, isolated game into
real-world experience
• Companies benefit as users build deeper
connection to game brand

Gaming
• Angry Birds (Rovio)
– Tap two phones together, unlock new level
– “Magic Places”
– Barnes & Noble
– Starbucks?

Gaming
• Libraries as Magic Places
– Libraries can be a destination for gamers
– Increase traffic to the location
– Engagement

Public transportation
• Check passenger tickets
• Check your metro card balance
• Find out the bus schedule

What else?

What else?
• Boarding passes
• Concert tickets
• Parking passes
• Health care
• Restaurants

Concerns

Security and privacy
• NFC provides better security than a
magnetic strip on a credit card
• Encryption
• Passwords
• Anti-virus software
• FTC December 2010 Staff Report
• Hacking NFC advertisements

Thinking ahead

A truly mobile collection
• NFC tags on books or other library
resources could contain:
– Bibliographic information
– Link to similar resources
– Due date for a checked-out book
• Social media tools to share what you’re
reading or watching

A truly mobile collection
• Off-the-shelf self-checkout?
– Bibliotecha has a prototype app!

Changing relationships
• NFC may change the way our patrons
interact with information

Thank you!
www.slideshare.net/kristenyt

Resources

• NFC Forum
– White Paper on Smart Posters (pdf)
• NFC World:
– List of Trials and Pilots
– List of NFC Enabled Phones

• Introductions to NFC
– Near Field Communications: A Technology
Primer (ars technica)
– What’s NFC, and Why do I Care?
(ReadWriteWeb)
– Near Field Communication Quick Guide
(Mashable)

• Mobile Payments
– Google Wallet
– ISIS
– Visa Wallet
– Serve by American Express
– PayPal