Thank you all for the suggestions. I guess I should be a little more specific. I am looking for something that can be loaded up on a tablet (ipad and/or nexus 7), and have the laylout of the floor + chairs and tables.

We are wanting to track usage of specific carrels and tables in different locations on the floor. To determine if they are in a good place or if they need to be repositioned or repurposed.

Thanks again!
s
Tom


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> stuart yeates
> Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 6:43 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs in
> Library
> 
> Many buildings have IR sensors already installed for burglar alarms / fire
> detection. If you can get a read-only feed from that system you may be able
> to piggyback.
> 
> Of course, these kinds of sensors are tripped by staff making regular rounds
> of all spaces and similar non-patron activity.
> 
> cheers
> stuart
> 
> On 16/08/13 06:33, Brian Feifarek wrote:
> > Motion sensors might be the ticket.  For example,
> > https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8630
> >
> > Brian
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Andreas Orphanides" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 11:12:02 AM
> > Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs in
> > Library
> >
> > Oh, that's a much better idea than light sensors. One challenge with
> > that might be difficulty in determining what "vacant" looks like
> > authoritatively, especially if people move chairs, walk through room, etc.
> > But much more accessible than actually bolting stuff to the table, I
> > would think.
> >
> > On Thu, Aug 15, 2013 at 1:03 PM, Schwartz, Raymond
> <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
> >
> >> Hey Dre, Perhaps a video camera with some OpenCV?
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
> >> Of Andreas Orphanides
> >> Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 8:55 AM
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Way to record usage of tables/rooms/chairs in
> >> Library
> >>
> >> If I were feeling really ambitious -- and fair warning, I'm a big
> >> believer that any solution worth engineering is worth
> >> over-engineering -- I'd come up with something involving light
> >> sensors (a la a gate counter) mounted on the table legs, just above
> >> seat height. Throw in some something something Arduino or Raspberry
> Pi, and Bob's your uncle.
> >>
> >> I find myself more intimidated by the practicality of maintaining
> >> such a system (batteries, cord management etc) than about the
> >> practicality of this implementation, actually.
> >>
> >> -dre.
> >>
> >> On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 at 7:59 PM, Thomas Misilo <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi,
> >>>
> >>> I was wondering if anyone has been asked before to come up with a
> >>> way to record usage of tables.
> >>>
> >>> The ideal solution would be a web app, that we can create floor
> >>> plans with where all the tables/chairs are and select the "reporting
> >>> time", say 9PM at night. Go around the library and select all the
> >>> seats/tables/rooms that are currently being used/occupied for
> >> statistical data.
> >>>
> >>> We would be wanting to go around probably multiple times a day.
> >>>
> >>> The current solution I have seen is a pen and paper task, and then
> >>> someone will have to manually put the data into a spreadsheet for
> >> analysis.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks!
> >>>
> >>> Tom
> >>>
> >>
> >
> 
> 
> --
> Stuart Yeates
> Library Technology Services http://www.victoria.ac.nz/library/