GEN: Circulating magazines

[JT or Eliece Edge <shadow@hal-pc.org>]

Hi All,

Cyndi Gates wrote recently asking about an easy way to circulate
magazines.  I decided to post my response to the whole list thinking
that others might wish to try this:

I create a barebones MARC record for each magazine TITLE (not for each
issue).  Then when a new issue comes in we just slap a barcode on it and
enter the b.c. # in the copy record.  (I use Follett Unison for my
automation program.  I don't know how other programs work, but in
Unison, be sure to create a call number prefix for your circulating
magazines, such as MAG so they won't all appear as OTHERS when you run
reports.)  In the "copy" field, we type the date; eg., 9/97.
All this takes maybe a minute, and in the long run, it saves so much
time checking them in and out.  A barcode only costs 3 cents and since
my magazines seem to circulate for quite a while, it seems like money
well spent considering the time saved.  You know at a glance exactly
which copy of a magazine a student has checked out, and you don't have
to type in a temporary record each time it circulates.

I believe in barcoding anything that circulates.  I even barcode
extension cords.  One of my teachers asked me the other day if I barcode
everything in my house.  She was joking, I think, :)  BUT I know she
appreciates it when I can tell her who has the item she wants.

Eliece Edge, Librarian
Alvin Junior High       Alvin, TX       shadow@hal-pc.org

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