Library Security Gates: Effectiveness and Current Practice

Abstract

For years, library personnel have relied on security gates to prevent theft from their collections. However, recent anecdotal evidence suggests that libraries are removing the gates for various reasons, including cost and patron frustration with false alarms. This study examines current practices via a survey of libraries and security gate vendors and analyzes the effectiveness of security gates by empirical testing of alarms and with loss inventories of collection samples, supplemented by lost item statistics from interlibrary loan. Thus we use three primary methods to assess libraries' approaches to security gates. © 2014 © Jonathan H. Harwell.