Comments on: Tech solutions to daily burdensome and time consuming preservation activities! http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/tech-solutions-to-daily-burdensome-and-time-consuming-preservation-activities/ Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:10:03 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Vicky http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/tech-solutions-to-daily-burdensome-and-time-consuming-preservation-activities/#comment-129 Vicky Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:26:31 +0000 http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-129 I am in the process of researching spine label printers. We still print ours on a dot matrix continuous feed printer! What kind of spine label printer are you using and are you happy with it? I am in the process of researching spine label printers. We still print ours on a dot matrix continuous feed printer! What kind of spine label printer are you using and are you happy with it?

]]> By: Holly http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/tech-solutions-to-daily-burdensome-and-time-consuming-preservation-activities/#comment-68 Holly Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:21:45 +0000 http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-68 All of our barcodes are located on the front exterior of an item in the bottom left corner. So when a book is re-bound in a library binding or re-housed in a phase box, the goal is NOT to assign a new pre-printed barcode (and therefore barcode number) ... but rather to print a duplicate barcode label to be affix to the new binding or new phase box. I really like the idea of user IDs dedicated to specific batches, but we found that that system confounded our students (who charge and discharge our materials) and was a bit difficult to maintain. We do inventory checks once a month, and search the stacks for anything that has been charged since a certain date. There is no perfect call number label ... in a truly perfect world, there would be closed stacks with robots directed by RFID. It is exactly because the spine sees a lot of movement and abrasion (and light, and dirty hands, and ...) that we need to build a better barcode. The call number label should always be wider than the spine, though, says I, as that helps to hold the label on to the book (particularly skinny books). All of our barcodes are located on the front exterior of an item in the bottom left corner. So when a book is re-bound in a library binding or re-housed in a phase box, the goal is NOT to assign a new pre-printed barcode (and therefore barcode number) … but rather to print a duplicate barcode label to be affix to the new binding or new phase box.

I really like the idea of user IDs dedicated to specific batches, but we found that that system confounded our students (who charge and discharge our materials) and was a bit difficult to maintain. We do inventory checks once a month, and search the stacks for anything that has been charged since a certain date.

There is no perfect call number label … in a truly perfect world, there would be closed stacks with robots directed by RFID. It is exactly because the spine sees a lot of movement and abrasion (and light, and dirty hands, and …) that we need to build a better barcode. The call number label should always be wider than the spine, though, says I, as that helps to hold the label on to the book (particularly skinny books).

]]> By: Kevin http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/tech-solutions-to-daily-burdensome-and-time-consuming-preservation-activities/#comment-64 Kevin Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:06:35 +0000 http://doireallywanttotouchthat.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-64 I don't have experience working in a large academic library so I have a question about your process. You say you rebarcode items after binding or rehousing. Why is this? It seems like a lot of work. My guess is it is so the barcode is on the exterior of the item which I'm assuming is for the convenience of circulation and inventory. We stick with the original barcode on the first page of the bound item (but we don't deal with the large quantity of new items like you, and our collections see minimal circulation - and don't ask about inventory control.) Also, when doing batch projects - like sending things to bindery - I will often create and save a list in our catalog of everything in the batch. After the batch has been returned and checked-in, I can quickly check the list to see if anything is outstanding. This is only convenient for batch projects. And finally, regarding your quest for the perfect call number label. I applaud your effort, but remain a little skeptical. The spine sees a lot of movement and abrasion. Also, what do you do when your spine is 18mm wide and your label is 20mm wide? I eagerly await you demonstrating my skepticism as unfounded. I don’t have experience working in a large academic library so I have a question about your process. You say you rebarcode items after binding or rehousing. Why is this? It seems like a lot of work. My guess is it is so the barcode is on the exterior of the item which I’m assuming is for the convenience of circulation and inventory. We stick with the original barcode on the first page of the bound item (but we don’t deal with the large quantity of new items like you, and our collections see minimal circulation – and don’t ask about inventory control.)

Also, when doing batch projects – like sending things to bindery – I will often create and save a list in our catalog of everything in the batch. After the batch has been returned and checked-in, I can quickly check the list to see if anything is outstanding. This is only convenient for batch projects.

And finally, regarding your quest for the perfect call number label. I applaud your effort, but remain a little skeptical. The spine sees a lot of movement and abrasion. Also, what do you do when your spine is 18mm wide and your label is 20mm wide? I eagerly await you demonstrating my skepticism as unfounded.

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