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Each copy and patron in your library is assigned a unique barcode that Alexandria uses for identification. A barcode can be scanned or typed into the Circulation command line.
Read important Barcode Guildelines.
A typical barcode label consists of three pieces of information:
- The name of the library, school, company, or institution
- The scannable barcode image
- The barcode number/sequence
You will need to put barcode labels on all of the items in your library. You may also want to barcode objects such as audio-visual equipment, computers, desks, and tables, so you can use Alexandria to inventory these items.
You can also keep temporary records of items such as magazines and newspapers. Temporary items (i.e. periodicals) can be assigned a barcode and then circulated like permanent items. A barcode is assigned to a temporary item only while it's checked out.
Symbology
COMPanion uses the barcode symbology Code 39, also known as Code 3 of 9, which is the industry standard for industrial and commercial applications, including libraries. It provides a high level of data security with error rates between 1 in 3 million and 1 in 70 million characters scanned. Code 39 does not require a check character in normal commercial and industrial applications. It is also bi-directional, which means it can be scanned from left to right or from right to left.
Barcode Guidelines
Each copy is assigned a unique barcode up to 15 characters long, based on the value set in Preferences > Items. The copy barcode is stored in field 852_p of the MARC record and can be changed in the copy record. Patron barcodes can be changed in each patron record.
We recommend using the simplest numbering scheme that still meets your needs. For patron barcodes, you may want to consider using an employee ID or student number, as long as they don't coincide with item barcodes. If you have more than one library in your system, use a unique barcode numbering scheme for each library's collection. Then if items are moved between collections, the barcodes will still be unique and won't interfere with existing item barcodes.
Here are some specific things to remember while barcoding your collection with Alexandria:
1. Alexandria reserves barcodes 1-50 for System Patrons.
2. Numeric characters (0-9) are recommended, but uppercase alphabetic characters (A-Z) are also allowed.
3. Barcode lengths should be consistent throughout your collection.
Barcodes can be 3-15 characters in length, but we recommend using 8-14 characters to allow for growth. Also, because item and patron barcodes cannot overlap, we recommend using a different but consistent length for each, like 8 characters for patrons and 10 for items.
4. Sequential barcodes must end in a digit.
These are set in the following places:
Items Management > Copies > Actions > Duplicate Title > Beginning barcode
Preferences > Patrons > Patron Defaults > Next Barcode
Preferences > Textbooks > Item Defaults > Next Textbook Barcode
Preferences > Items > Item Defaults > Next Barcode
Preferences > Items > Item Defaults > Beginning Temporary Barcode Number
Preferences > Items > Item Defaults > Ending Temporary Barcode Numbers
Imports > Patrons > Starting Patron Barcode
Imports > Items > Starting Item Barcode
Imports > Textbooks > Starting Textbook Barcode
5. You can end barcodes with alphas.
While it is possible to do this, keep these things in mind:
Imports allow barcodes ending with alphas.
- You can manually add a barcode that ends in an alpha.
Ending alphas will not be stripped when searching for barcodes, but leading alphas will.
Preferences and Import fields relating to starting barcodes never allow barcodes with ending alphas.
Existing barcodes will not be changed by Alexandria.
6. Barcodes are sorted alphabetically, not numerically.
Like call numbers, barcodes are treated as words, which means they are sorted alphabetically, not numerically.
|
|
---|---|
123456 1377 200 45658 62930 89702 | 200 1377 45658 62930 89702 123456 |
7. Preference settings matter.
We support leading alpha characters. However, if Preferences > Barcode > Ignore Patron/Item Barcode Leader of is filled in, leading alpha characters will be stripped upon scanning. Learn more in Barcode Preferences.
Also know that if you have old Follett Barcodes that start with P or T, you should not set any new barcodes to start with, say, TSD, because the T will be stripped off.
Search by barcode range
In Items Management, a search for items within a barcode range will return only copies which fall within the range specified. For example, a range of 11 through 375 will return only 2 and 3-character barcodes: 11, 113, 22, 234, 30, 370, etc. A search for a larger number through a smaller number (like 375 through 11) is not valid and will not return any results.
8. Alexandria and duplicate barcodes
The best library management standards highly recommend not having duplicate barcodes in a centralized management setup. Sometimes, however, sites can merge, or become a central union, or otherwise run into a situation where copies across sites share barcodes.
The best thing you can do for the integrity of your catalog is to re-barcode these duplicates as soon as possible.
If you are coming from a different system and want to start using Alexandria before you have a chance to re-barcode, we can help you out. Talk to our Sales representatives at 1.800.347.6439 to discuss your duplicate barcode situation.
Example Barcode Scheme
This example uses a 9-digit barcode scheme for items and patrons: the first three characters identify the library site, the fourth character identifies the item or patron group, and the last five characters identify the specific item or patron record. Each library in the district will have a unique barcode range so item and patron barcodes will not overlap.
Your barcode scheme will vary from this example. Use this example to build your own system.
Identify the library site
For example, 100 is Eastside Library, 200 is Westside Library, and so forth. Use three digits to more narrowly group your libraries:
- 110 — Eastside Elementary School
- 130 — Eastside Middle School
- 150 — Eastside High School
- 210 — Westside Elementary School
- 230 — Westside Middle School
Identify the patron or item group
The next digit should identify the patron or item group:
- 0 – 2 for patrons: students, staff, vendors, etc.
- 3 – 9 for items: books, mediums, equipment, supplies, etc.
Identify the specific item or patron
The last five characters identify the specific item or patron record. If you have a smaller number of patrons than items, you can use fewer characters for patrons.
Avoid starting barcodes with zeros. Barcodes can contain only letters and numbers; spaces and punctuation are not allowed.