GEN: Placing one barcode over another

[Rena Deutsch <renadeutsch@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>]

We are in the process of automating our catalog;  we do not have anything
up and running yet.  All our old records have been converted, and this past
year everything we ordered from Brodart has been barcoded. Our problem is
the following:
        Last week, we had to make copies of our records to send to our main
library division. I copied all of the disks from Winnebago (who did our
retrospective conversion) with no problem. When I got to the Brodart disks,
one of them was "unreadable".  That is, in Windows 95, I could not copy it
from floppy to the hard drive. The disk was just bad.
        Unfortunately, this disk was from an order placed in November '97.  When
we spoke to the Brodart rep, she said that she could not send us a
replacement disk. She would have to send us a different disk with all new
barcodes.
        I realize that I once we get the circulation catalog up and running, I
could probably take those records (maybe 100 of them?), pull them up from
the new disk, and then change all the barcodes (that is, leave the barcodes
that are in the books now, and just change the numbers in the computer
record).
OR
We could "re-barcode" the book.

I haven't decided which one is easier.  My question is:
Since we wouldn't want to have two barcodes showing (too confusing), and
since Brodart puts protective labels over the barcodes they place in books,
therefore making it very difficult to get those barcodes off, can you place
one barcode over another? Will it be possible to read or would the barcode
reader get confused?  Do you have to cover the bottom barcode with
something (I don't know what) before placing another barcode on top of it?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. Now I've learned my lesson and will check out all disks within 24
hours!!

P.P.S. Brodart made a mistake with one of our other orders (they put J in
front of many books -- not what we asked for), and when we spoke to the
rep, she said that all they could do was give us new records and barcodes,
that is, she couldn't just send us the same records on the disk with the
same barcode numbers but different call #s.  What a pain!!!

Rena Deutsch, Librarian
High School for the Humanities
New York, NY
renadeutsch@worldnet.att.com

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