Netters,
In response to Betty Winslow's query about barcode placement (inside or outside), I
have an additional comment to add to my previous post of March 31, 2005 (see:
Subject: Re: [LM_NET] missing barcodes & placement -Suggestion):
Today a second grader came to my counter to check out. As she did, another student
came up and flipped open a large picture book (in order to find the barcode). The
sharp corner of the picture book missed her eye by less than an inch. This has
happened on more than one occasion. It is another reason I have worked diligently
to REMOVE barcodes (placed by my predecessors) on the inside page or cover, and
transfer them to the top back cover so books will NOT have to be opened for
checkout/return. Thankfully we have had no injuries so far. Perhaps others have not
had this potentially dangerous problem arise, but at our school, we have the kids
locate their barcodes to speed up the process. Not only is opening a book to find
the barcode time-consuming, but it is awkward to hold open, and then lift a book to
the scanner when it is open, especially when you have another one stacked under it.
(Our scanner is on a holder, we don't trigger it).
While it would be highly unlikely for this sort of accident to happen at a middle
school or high school, here at an elementary site it has the potential of happening
frequently, with students flipping open large picture books, especially at a
counter that is the height ours is.
Perhaps you have the "luxury" (may I call it that?) of having a clerk who can flip
open and close each book at the circ desk while you continue assisting students or
other tasks, but many of us (especially at elementary sites) are on our own. We
MUST to find efficient ways of doing our most frequent tasks, or we would easily be
overwhelmed by the number of high frequency, repetitive tasks like circulation.
Having barcodes on the back enables my 4th - 6th graders to scan in and out their
own books. It enables me to "stagger and stack" and very efficiently scan a group
of 4 or 5 books for fast check in or out. Occasionally teachers send quantities of
books in without students who can stay to assist me. By stack and stagger
(staggering the barcodes) I can get through encyclopedia sets or state books in
just moments instead of minutes, and minimize repetitive wrist damage. Having them
on the outside speeds up inventory exponentially.
Perhaps others can justify placing barcodes inside, I can't. Others may say they
are concerned about barcodes on the outside being damaged, and they may be right
about this at their site. I can tell you that I have seen more barcodes (left
uncovered) on the INSIDE of books damaged than barcodes on the outside damaged. I
would encourage Betty and others to strongly consider the long-term benefits of
outside placement versus "saving the cost of a barcode cover" - it's ten cents very
well invested, in my experience.
Joanne Ladewig, Library Media Technician (a.k.a. "Library Lady")
Lawrence Elementary School, GGUSD
Garden Grove, CA USA
shatz@verizon.net
---Comments are my own and may not reflect the views of GGUSD.
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