[Koha] Unique Barcodes across branches

[Owen Leonard]

> Multiple "independent" branches still require unique barcodes for each item, correct?

That is correct. The barcode is a unique identifier in Koha across all
libraries.

> I was looking forward to having one install with a shared catalog, patron database
> and other "one stop management" functions.

I would hope you could work toward that goal, because that's probably
in your patrons' interests. However, it requires re-barcoding the
collection. My library system went through this process when we
consolidated 7 separate catalogs into one. Each branch got their own
barcode prefix:

Nelsonville: 31...
Athens: 32...

...etc. The Nelsonville item which was previously barcoded "20301"
became "31000000020301." The Athens item with the same barcode became
"32000000020301."

It wasn't an easy process but it was best in the long run.

vikram zadgaonkar <vikramczadgaonkar at gmail.com> wrote:
> You can prefix branch code before barcode, it will become unique for
> database.

I think we're talking about basically the same idea. Any
single-database solution would require physical re-barcoding of the
collection combined with batch updates to the item data based on
library.

  -- Owen

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Web Developer
Athens County Public Libraries
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