[Koha] [BUG] barcode mandatory or not ?

[Emil LEVINE]

We at UNIDO have asked for a modification that now allows to enter items
without barcodes. Katipo can provide details.

emil levine
UNIDO Library Consultant

On 9/26/2003, "Regula Sebastiao" <reseba at yahoo.com> wrote:

>Having followed the different mails about Barcodes mandatory or no,
>i'd like to share a few thoughts on the subject:
>
>Barcodes mandatory or not?
>-------------------------
>
>Why not plan on having the system create "artificial numbers" which
>can be distinguished as such from "real barcodes" and thus the
>above question can be decided by each library (parameter to be on
>or off)? Real barcodes are meant to identify each book and link it
>to the dataset in the database.
>In my opininion the non-MARC and MARC should offer the same
>possibilities. So if there has to be a choice made now : go for the
>"no barcode necessary" in MARC either.
>
>In practice, libraries often don't want to allow issueing or
>returning without a barcode, as it means they don't have the book
>in their hands. and in the lending process the question is: "what's
>the use of issuing a book or returning it, if it isn't there?" But
>I'd recommend this to be a "on/off" possibility too, as there might
>indeed be situation where a barcode is not needed.
>
>Personally I do not understand, why a library would want to leave
>out the possibility of using a barcode on a physical item*, as the
>barcode's task is simply to ease the loan/issue/return process with
>or without librarians. when using a barcode reader and no search or
>typing is needed to identify your item (nor the reader for that
>matter). and if you are short of a barcode reader for any reason,
>the system should allow just to use a search by author or/and title
>or callnumber to get to that book, and it's still possible to type
>in the barcode number by hand too.
>and - the so called self-registration-process - when the user lets
>a machine read his card and the book's barcode would not work
>without them.
>
>Regarding loans, i do fully agree that a library system should
>provide a functionality allowing something like "transfer", which
>would allow to transfer directly a book to the next reader,
>bypassing a return and a issue to the next reader. (must admit, i
>can't remember wheter koha offers this possibility already... )
>
>Note:
>*physical item opposed to a dataset describing a virtual item,
>which does not need a callnumber, shelving location etc. and will
>not be the subject of the circulation process, thus the barcode
>question is not relevant for datasets for "virtual items"
>
>
>Regula Sebastião
>(Librarian, Switzerland)
>
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