StaffGuide: Receiving & Processing

Barcodes

BARCODING SERIALS ITEMS

Some serials titles, especially continuations, will require you to place a barcode on the piece during check-in.

How do you know that an item needs a barcode?

Generally, any item needing a barcode will have an instructional note at the top of the check-in record clarifying that you need to create an item record. These item record instructions will vary, but have a similar formats and codes. Here are two examples:

Item record instructions example 1

Item record instructions example 2

Sometimes these instructions do not specifically mention a barcode, but items with instructions similar to the second example will almost always need one, given that you must create an item record, that it's a continuation (36 is the code for continuations) and especially that it has "main" as the location. Therefore, it would need a barcode to allow for circulation, statistics, etc.

BARCODING SUPPLIES

The Receiving Specialist will be barcoding items and scanning barcodes on a regular basis. You will need a working barcode scanner and plenty of barcode sheets for this purpose. The scanners will have a button on the handle that you can press to activate the scanning laser.

Barcode scanner

barcode sheets

Issues with scanner: If your scanner appears to be malfunctioning or won't scan properly and if restarting the computer, checking the USB connection, etc., doesn't resolve the issue, contact Library IT at libhelp@uark.edu for further troubleshooting or to obtain a new scanner.

To obtain more barcode sheets, contact the Head of Content Services.

BARCODE PLACEMENT

On almost all periodicals and serials-related monographs, you will place the barcode on the outside back cover of the piece, in the upper-right corner, like so:

barcode placement

SCANNING THE BARCODE

For titles requiring barcodes, the check-in card should be configured to bring up the item record creation function upon checking in the item, which will guide you through the steps.

When the barcode field comes up, scan the barcode you've applied to the piece using your scanner and verify that the correct barcode was scanned:

Barcode in item record