Development of an Automated Library Book Cataloguing and Tracking System Using RFID for Federal Polytechnics in Nasarawa State

Manual library cataloguing and book tracking in Nigerian federal polytechnic libraries frequently result in misplaced resources, poor inventory accuracy, and inefficient service delivery to students. This project presents the development of an RFID-based automated library cataloguing and tracking system designed for implementation in the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa Library in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. Each book in the library collection is tagged with a passive UHF RFID label, and RFID reader antennas are installed at the library entrance, exit, and key shelving zones. An ESP32 microcontroller coordinates RFID reader communication, updates a local database of book locations and checkout status, and provides a web-based interface accessible to librarians and students. The database records book title, author, Dewey Decimal classification, current shelf location, and borrower identity. A checkout and return workflow was digitized to replace the existing manual card system. Pilot implementation covered 2,400 books over a three-month trial period. Library staff reported a 70 percent reduction in time spent locating misplaced books, and inventory accuracy improved from an estimated 78 percent under the manual system to 96 percent under the RFID system. Integration with student identity cards using institutional RFID-embedded ID is proposed for future expansion. The total system cost for the pilot scale was approximately 480,000 Naira. The study establishes RFID as a viable and cost-justified library management technology for Nigerian polytechnic institutions. Keywords: RFID, library management, book tracking, cataloguing, Nasarawa State