[Koha] Re: [Koha-devel] [BUG] barcode mandatory or not ?

[Roger Horne]

On Fri 26 Sep, paul POULAIN wrote:
 
> NOTE : we agree that a books without barcode can't be issued/returned, 
> aren't we ?

I hope not. 

I am a English Barrister. We have a Chambers' library. A few weeks ago there
was a thread on the (UK) Lis-Law mailing list dealing with libaries in
Solicitors' firms (which are similar). None of us have full-time librarians
and books are on shelves throughout the building. Individuals (ie
fee-earners) remove books from the shelves themselves and take them to their
rooms. Other people may visit them and take the books back to their own
rooms. Eventually someone will replace the books on the correct shelves:
this may be someone who has borrowed the book or a member of staff.

As was pointed out in the thread, it would be very useful to have a system
under which individuals could check out books either from shelves or from
other borrowers. Obviously it would not be fool-proof but since we are not a
lending library -- the books will not be borrowed by anyone who does not work
in the building -- this does not really matter: the object will be to try to
locate the book within the building for somone else who wants to refer to it
rather than imposing penalties on borrowers.

To quite one message in the thread:

 :I think this comes down to an integrity issue within the organisation
 :you are working for. I am hoping to have a new LMS soon and it will give
 :me the option of doing exactly what you suggest. An OPAC so that  a fee
 :earner can see who an item is located to, this would enable them to
 :contact that person ( it could be the person in the next office!). Issue
 :and return facilities are also available at their desk tops which would
 :enable both parties to reissue the item to the new person.  This as far
 :as I can see would save a lot of time and frustration. It does however,
 :rely on a high level of trust and goodwill from all the people
 :concerned.

No such library will use a bar-code. A title/author/edition method of
specifying the book would be much more appropriate.

Roger
-- 
Roger Horne, 11 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, London WC2A 3QB
http://hrothgar.co.uk/
mailto:roger at hrothgar.co.uk