[Koha] Barcode quandry

[Albert P. Calame]

Greetings All!
    In my many years of experience in library automation, I have always insisted that each library or library branch have a unique series of barcodes. If you are using an alphanumeric symbology such as Code 39 (also called Code 3 of 9) you can use the library or branch holding symbol as the prefix to the code. e.g. Sembeq, a small French Baptist Seminary has a holding symbol assigned by the National Libray of Canada of QMSB, and their barcodes start at QMSB00001.  Patron Barcodes contain the student ID code that has letters from their last name and first initial followed by up to 4 digits.

    The difference between the codes makes sure that the system does not get confused between documents and borrowers, and in large Union catalogues that list the holdings of different branches, the distinction is easy for the computer to make and the users to see.  If you already have barcodes on the volumes, however, the solution to the problem will not be a pleasant one - it would involve re-applying barcodes to the items (of the collection that is the smallest).  The changing of the numbers in the electronic records can be done quite easily.  Certainly, anyone considering automating the collections of multiple branches should consider this before beginning the application of barcode labels.

    I agree, of course, that the system should NEVER accept duplicate barcodes. They must be unique to the item they identify. If you must use, or are using a numeric only barcode symbology, then you should set different numeric prefixes to the ranges of numbers that you will use on the barcodes for different holding branches or libraries.

    Best wishes to all for a happy holiday season from the frozen North!!

    Regards,


    Albert Calame
    Librarian at Large 
    Library Management Consultant
    Montreal, Canada
    514-745-3424

    albert.p.calame at sympatico.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BWS Johnson 
  To: koha at lists.katipo.co.nz 
  Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 9:44 PM
  Subject: [Koha] Barcode quandry


  Salve!

  My .02 on having Koha accept two same barcodes - bad pie! That's one of the things I intentionally checked for when I installed. Perhaps there's a way to do a feature so that folks that don't want barcodes can shut it off, but I shudder to think at the possible multiple barcode errors that might haunt me later. I know it will catch multiple borrower ids in its own comma'd way, and I know that it used to yell at me when I used the same barcode, which I liked.

  As far as what you might be able to do about your branches - talk to your vendor and consortium about adding initial digits to distinguish between the branch and the main library. There might be a way to cleverly do this retrospectively. I know that there was a good old function key programmed at my old library, and I usually keep the 304540000 part of my barcode in a notepad file for ease of cutting and pasting. I can't think of any ILS off of the top of my head that wouldn't have the barcode function also as an identifier.

  Brooke @ Hinsdale 
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