[Koha] New to KOHA

[KL Nasveschuk]

Marie,


Are you just trying to scan barcodes versus typing in a barcode? We have
tested this briefly and it works with Koha. Ex. scan a barcode, pull
record from catalog advanced search. I guess what really matters is how
it is setup in Koha.

If you are looking to store barcodes in the scanner, then download as
part of inventory, I don't believe Koha will do that. Someone correct me
if I am wrong.


Kent



On Mon, 2006-02-27 at 08:29 -0600, Marie Wardall wrote:
> So the Dolphin Scanners that we have right now that we use for inventory could be re-programmed to work with the KOHA system if we had someone do that for us. Our Network Manager I'm thinking could do this.
> 
> Thanks!
> Marie
> 
> Marie J. Wardall
> IMC Coordinator
> Rothschild Elementary School
> 810 First Street
> Rothschild, WI  54474
> mwardall at dce.k12.wi.us
> Phone: 715-359-3186 ext.5424
> FAX: 715-355-3723
> Fate gives us the hand, and we play the cards.
> Arthur Schopenhauer
> 
> >>> "Stephen Hedges" <shedges at skemotah.com> 2/26/2006 3:06 PM >>>
> Marie Wardall said:
> [...]
> > *Barcodes-Our current barcodes are 5 digits long with a leading T for a
> > material barcode and a leading P for a patron barcode.
> 
> Joshua noted that Nelsonville Public Library still uses the Follett patron
> barcodes, so I can give you some extra information here.
> 
> Follett uses Interleaved 2-of-5 symbology in their barcodes, but the
> scanned codes are then manipulated by their system so the user only sees a
> "T" or a "P" and no more than five digits.  If you scan these barcodes
> with a non-Follett scanner in a text editor, you will see that the
> barcodes are actually always 10 digits long:  the visible digits (no "T"
> or "P") with leading zeros to pad the number to 7 digits, plus three more
> digits that tell the Follett software a little more about the barcode
> (such as if it is a "T"itle or a "P"atron barcode).  For example, if the
> Follet library card had the number "P 1234" printed on it, an
> off-the-shelf scanner would read something like "0001234999."
> 
> Most vendors of barcode scanners know how to program their products for
> Follett systems, so they can sell to schools that use Follett.  Those same
> vendors can help you program your scanners to simply remove the last three
> digits.  Then the barcode example above would look like "0001234" when
> scanned into Koha.  Staff quickly get used to making this conversion in
> their heads if they need to type in a number manually.  Works fine.  (But
> don't expect the Follett folks to help you with the scanner programming,
> of course!)
>