Wirral library plans are a mistake (From Wirral Globe)

They haven't quite dared to suggest adults hand over (literally) a biometric fingerprint Just to borrow a library book........yet. Wirral secondary school children on the other hand....
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The welsh assembly is pushing for schoolchildren there to provide biometric data Just so they can have a school dinner.
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It's not just books that are being catalogued for reference.

Clearly the reasoning behind the radio controlled tag thingy is that they can carry on sacking staff or redeploying them to other duties and eventually end up with a fully automated service.

In the brave new world of Wirral libraries, you’ll walk into the building, type the name of the book you’re looking for into an interface (no chance of browsing, that would make the place look untidy) and an automated hand will reach down, grab the book from the relevant shelf, move along a wire till its above your head and drop it on the desk in front of you. You’ll scan your book using a smart card; and if you try to walk out without doing so, a robot whose facial features resemble the rosy red visage of our glorious council leader will step out from behind a cardboard cutout of his Tory counterpart Eric Pickles and biff you on the bonce with a copy of one of the great classics of fiction: “Merseytravel Authority, Labour Members’ Expenses Claims 2010/11”.

Its a weighty volume indeed, and the resulting impact will serve as a lesson you wont forget in a hurry.

I am all in favour of the use of new technology, and certainly if it reduces costs but provides a better service.

I am not in favour of having 66 local parasite councillors feeding at the trough of plenty when less than a dozen actually make the decisions, that we are paying for.

it is the bloated non-democratic and less than useful expensive managerial systems in our Authorities that need a drastic pruning.

@Spiffy... My Son's PRIMARY school have had biometric fingerprinting in place for a number of years, and without any parental permissions or knowledge...
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I only found out as my lad was given the class diary at end of the year and upon reading this became apparent. However, due to having other issues raised with the headteacher at the time I did not follow it up!! And of course it was then the 6-week holidays.
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I hope that it remained in-house and deleted after he left the school but something bugs me that it is now on a national database held by the government waiting to be lost/posted/left on a train!!

@whatdotheythinkwear
e...Perhaps then children at state nursery schools are next on the agenda if it's not already being done. It's a bit ironic isn't it that whilst the population has been up in arms about the retention of innocent suspects fingerprints/DNA on a police database schools have been quietly tagging our children without parental knowledge of consent for years now.
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When complaint was first raised with the Information Commissioner very little could be done to stop it. Indeed, the IC had to concede that...by law...schools are not even under any obligation to inform parents but fudged an agreement that it would be polite to do so, at the very least.
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Our children are property of ...and subject to...the state by virtue of their birth certificate. Not something anyone really knows... or fully considers the implications of ...until something like this arises.
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With the advent of the internet there is now a wealth of information out there for anyone who wishes to research the subject. That said...I find that the more I know the less I really want to !
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I see now what is truly meant by "ignorance is bliss" :)