Are there libraries that use only electronic library "cards"?

This is a followup to my earlier question. Are there any libraries that only issue electronic "cards" to patrons?

I know many libraries have ways to look up a patron record if their library card is not present--home phone number, address, name, whatever. I'm not asking about libraries that have an alternate means to look up a patron's account. I'm curious if there are any libraries that strictly don't even offer a library card, and do everything electronically.

If there are such libraries, what were the motivations for the switch? And what credentials must a patron provide to borrow books? And lastly, has the experience proved successful?

Side note:

I'm not asking about super tiny libraries, like the one in the city I grew up (with a population of 500 people), where the librarian knew me and everyone else personally, so there weren't even library "accounts"--we just wrote our names in a small book at the desk, next to the title of the book we were borrowing.

Flimzy

patron-management
library-cards

Comments

Joe: If they're going to be assigned a patron number, you need a way to give it to them until they've memorized it. That's what the card's for. Unless they're going to immediately type it into the cell phone to store, or you use some other number as a default that they might've already remembered (remember those universities that thought it was a good idea to use SSNs?), you're going to need to give them *something*. A card's much more convenient & durable than a piece of paper.

Answer by Fisher

While this isn't a fully-functional electronic card, the Boston Public Library does issue eCards for any Massachusetts resident. The potential patron fills out the registration form and is issued an eCard number. The eCard, however, is not a full library card. It allows use of the digital catalog (overdrive in this case) and online databases. It does not allow for physical check out. It can be converted into a full library card, which is a physical library card.