Voyager 6.1: Barcode Lookup

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Voyager 6.1 Barcode Lookup

• New Functionality
• Circulation Workflow
• Dirty Data Implications

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New functionality in version 6 Barcode Lookup
Files

• New functionality in version 6 Barcode Lookup
  Files
• Configuration file in each I-Share database
  contains information to identify the patrons
  home library and items holding library, based on
  patron and/or item barcode prefix
• Similar to DRA functionality

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Barcode Lookup configuration file details

• Most (but not all) I-Share libraries have at
  least item barcode prefixes unique to the library
• Libraries that converted from shared DRA system
  also have conversion item prefixes (e.g.,
  38888xx)
• All known item barcode prefixes already included
  in existing barcode lookup config files

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Barcode Lookup configuration file details (cont.)

• Most (but not all) I-Share libraries have a
  patron barcode prefix unique to the library
• All known patron barcode prefixes already
  included in existing barcode lookup config files
• If library uses SSN as barcode currently, an
  alternative prefix was assigned previously by
  ILCSO/CARLI Office
• Alternative patron prefix is also included in
  existing config files, to help libraries
  transition away from SSN barcodes

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Barcode Lookup configuration file details (cont.)

• Server level configuration files
• Maintained by CARLI Office staff
• Each file contains data for all I-Share libraries
• Data taken from ILCSO Directory entry per
  library
• Summarized listing available from the URL below
• http//office.ilcso.illinois.edu/Docs/ILCSO_barco
  de_formats.html
• An excerpt from this listing follows.

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ILCSO BARCODE FORMATSURL http//office.ilcso.illi
nois.edu/Docs/ILCSO_barcode_formats.html
Library Item barcodeprefix Conversion Itembarcode prefix Current patronbarcode format Alternate PatronBarcode Format
Augustana College 30050 n/a 200598 or 9 digits n/a
Augustana College T0050 n/a n/a n/a
Aurora University 32511 3888827 225119 n/a
Benedictine University 32811 3888847 228119 n/a
Benedictine University (Springfield College) 37513 n/a 275139 n/a

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Where will I see Barcode Lookup Functionality?

• Barcode Lookup Functionality is only
• visible in the Circulation client
• Patron search screen
• Charge screen
• Discharge screen

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How does it work?

• When a barcode is entered into the Patron Search
  Screen, the Charge Screen, or the Discharge
  Screen, the computer goes to work trying to
  identify the barcode library affiliation,
• ltAuto-Select from barcodegt.
• The following slide shows whats happening behind
  the scenes to look up this information.
• Color coding corresponds with colors on the
  earlier ILCSO Barcode Formats slide.

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• lt?xml version"1.0" encoding"UTF-8"?gt
• ltConsortiumgt
• ltFlaggt
• ltTryLocalClusterFirstgttruelt/TryLocalCluste
  rFirstgt
• ltUseFirstMatchingPatronClustergtfalselt/UseF
  irstMatchingPatronClustergt
• ltUseFirstMatchingItemClustergtfalselt/UseFir
  stMatchingItemClustergt
• lt/Flaggt
• ltClustergt
• ltDatabaseNamegtAugustana
  Collegelt/DatabaseNamegt
• ltDatabaseKeygtAUGDB20030608200405lt/Database
  Keygt
• ltClusterNamegtAugustana Collegelt/ClusterNam
  egt
• ltClusterIdgt1lt/ClusterIdgt
• ltPatrongt
• ltBarcodePatterngt20059.lt/BarcodePatterngt
• lt/Patrongt
• ltItemgt
• ltBarcodePatterngt30050.lt/BarcodePatterngt
• ltBarcodePatterngtT0050.lt/BarcodePatterngt
• lt/Itemgt

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Barcode Lookup functionality within the Circ
client

• Local database will always be searched first by
  default
• If patron or item barcode not found in local DB,
  client will look for prefix in barcode lookup
  config file
• If prefix is configured for a particular library,
  client will automatically search that UB database
  for patron/item
• If prefix is not configured for any library,
  client prompts staff to select the appropriate DB
  from drop-down list of I-Share libraries
• Barcode lookup design assumes patron and item
  prefixes are unique to a single DB!

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Dirty data issues

• If patron/item prefix has error such that prefix
  not found in any librarys config file, circ/ILL
  staff from another library have to select
  patrons home library or items owning library
  manually
• Remember, your DB is always searched first by
  default from your circ/ILL desk, so errors in
  your DB not likely to affect your circ/ILL staff
• UB libraries not as familiar with your practices
  will be inconvenienced by these errors

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Dirty data issues (cont.)

• If patron/item prefix has error such that the
  incorrect prefix in your DB is configured for
  another library, barcode lookup will search that
  other DB
• Staff dont get option to select appropriate
  library
• Patron/item may or may not be represented in the
  DB that is searched
• Patron/Item not found messages no other hints
  as to how to proceed
• Remember, design is that prefix is unique per DB
• UB libraries will be particularly inconvenienced
  by errors of this type

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• If your library is planning to change patron
  barcode numbers (for example SSN to some other
  number, the library should strongly consider
  adopting the
• ILCSO/I-Share standard 14-digit barcode.
• This number begins with a 2 to denote patron and
  is followed by 4 digits unique to that library.
  The remaining 9 digits can be whatever meets the
  needs of the library.
• See Batch Loading Patron Data into the
  ILCSO/I-Share Voyager Databases, page 17 for
  further explanation.
• URL http//office.ilcso.illinois.edu/voyager/gen
  eral/batch_load.pdf