This document specifies a data model and encoding rules for the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for items appropriate for the needs of all types of libraries (including national, academic, public, corporate, special, and school libraries). The rules for encoding a subset of data elements taken from the total set of data elements defined in ISO 28560-1 are based on ISO/IEC 15962, which uses an object identifier structure to identify data elements.

This document defines the technical characteristics required to encode the data elements defined in ISO 28560-1 according to ISO/IEC 15962. These subsets of data elements can be different on different items in the same library. The encoding rules also enable the optional data to be organized on the RFID tag in any sequence. In addition, the encoding rules provide for flexible encoding of variable length and variable format data.

This document provides essential standards-based information about RFID in libraries. A source of additional information about implementation issues is provided in Annex A.