I would really like to know what privacy or security problems public libraries have that need to be solved with expensive biometrics equipment and patron ID-ing via fingerprints? Please note that I am not related to Naperville Public Library director Mark West who seems to have a willful misunderstanding of the difference between a fingerpint and a bar code. Please also note that US Biometrics who sold the library the system is headquartered in Naperville Illinois. Here are some more specifics about their arrangement with the library. Note the obligatory library pervert tossed in to the article just to make people think that this level of increased security is necessary for some crime-fighting reason. If you read through to page 2 of the article you’ll notice that only one other library system in the US uses fingerprint IDs on a voluntary basis. The library serves 400,000 people. 1,787 patrons use it. How do you think that works out, in terms of return on investment? [thanks jill]