How to fingerprint an entire population and get away with it.

Since LTKA started, we have heard of hundreds of cases (from concerned parents all over the country) where schools appear to introduce biometrics according to what seems to be a set plan of action.

1. Start with small isolated rural schools. Then move to small provincial towns. By the time the system reaches cities you will be able to cite millions of satisfied users.

2. At all costs, fingerprint as many children as possible as quickly as possible. Where parents are notified in advance, even though the system may take up to a year to set up, give them only a couple of days' prior notice.

3. Don't allow parents any breathing space to organise. Present them with a fait accompli.

4. Use the standard letter supplied by manufacturers to notify parents. (Claim that the system is in accordance with European Human Rights legislation, although this has never been tested in the courts. Claim benefits to children, even though there is no independent evidence to support this, etc.)

5. Stress the hard work that has been done by named members of staff and parent volunteers to get the exciting new library system up and running.

6. Isolate concerned parents and make them think they're the only ones with concerns. If a group of pupils complain, isolate them too. Ensure they are sent to see the head teacher one at a time.

7. If forced by parental pressure, send opt-out slips or follow-up letters to parents. As a last resort, have a meeting but do not give more than 24 hours' advance notice so few parents can attend.

8. Do not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES send opt-in consent slips. LTKA knows of only ONE school in the country (out of more than 5000) that has EVER done this - in Hull - and that was after 15 months of sustained pressure from the PTA.

9. Blindly repeat manufacturer's misleading spin and inaccuracies, in the hope that a lie told often enough becomes the truth. If you can convince most parents, do whatever it takes.

10. In replying to parents' letters, don't answer all their questions. Pick and choose and just respond to the easy ones. Stay in control of the discussion.

11. Imply that children who are not fingerprinted will miss out (eg be able to use fewer facilities). This is nonsense. Andy O'Brien MD of Micro Librarian Systems said in the Guardian that "this is an optional module - the system works perfectly well without it."

To date, LTKA has seen no evidence whatsoever of such a plan. Having said that, we have not come across a single case where fingerprinting is introduced with explicit, informed parental consent.. So if your child's school decides to implement biometrics, we strongly suggest you pay very careful attention to the way they proceed.