[Michlib-l] Results from Patron Card vs Barcode Change Inquiry

[Laura Orlowski]

Hi all;

Thank you to everyone who responded to my questions about Plastic Patron
Cards and changing barcodes.  Here are the results of my inquiry.

Thanks again!
-Laura Orlowski, director
Camden Twp. Library

*Plastic Library Cards vs. Barcode Changes Results*


*Albion District Library*

We use Vanguard ID Systems (http://www.vanguardid.com/
<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vanguardid.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7Ccamden%40monroe.lib.mi.us%7C9168c19ab4784116f23708d557a7a1b9%7C526ff4e31ba7453c9fb17562147081dd%7C0%7C0%7C636511299856379886&sdata=OvnFBZR2yXTicV4iKhiD4%2BT7ftidyBeBxMj9KuAn5Ms%3D&reserved=0>)
for our library cards.  We just purchased about 1,500 of them - full-size
plastic, reinforced, with a keychain that matches it.



They came in very inexpensively (about $0.50/each plus set-up and
shipping).

With our system (Apollo), it's as easy as just scanning or typing over it
in the system.  If they have outstanding holds in OverDrive, you just have
to be careful.  Their existing holds are linked to their current barcode
number.

*Dorothy Hull Library*

We switched from paper to plastic last year. We found The Library Store to
be significantly cheaper than other vendors we looked at. We also did NOT
go with key tags, even though we initially planned to. Most of our patrons
did not want them. That worked for us as well because we again saved money.

We used one of their stock designs and it was all pretty painless. We did
not have your barcode issues as ours were the standard number of digits.

*Willard Library*

If you are interested, here at Willard Library we wrote our own Library
card software that uses a webcam at each circulation station to get a mug
shot and we print them out on inexpensive card printers. No need to have
them pre-printed, we just buy blank cards. If you are interested I would be
happy to demo it for you.

*Shiawassee District Library - Owosso*

We haven't switched to plastic cards, but we are gradually switching from a
5 digit barcode to a 13 digit with a check digit (14 digits in all).  Our
circ system can handle both so we are not replacing old cards, just issuing
the new barcodes for new cards.  There haven't been any problems with
Overdrive and MeL both work with the new circ system without the patrons
being aware of it.   However, in spite of plenty of publicity, 2 years
later we still have patrons who can't figure out why they can't log into
Overdrive as they no longer need to add a prefix to their card numbers.
Card numbers are also harder to memorize which some patrons dislike.



We started all the 13 digit barcodes with a 2 which we were told is
standard.  The rest of the numbers are up to you.  We chose the number of
our zv code plus a 9 so numbers look like 22559000xxxxx plus the computer
generated check digit.  The xxxxx part of the number is issued sequentially
so the zeros will also be added numbers if and when we need them.

*Franklin Public Library*

We are the smallest library in The Library Network co-op.  We recently
joined RBdigital and realized that all of our barcodes that we had been
ordering through TLN (as we do our plastic library cards) were not going to
be compatible with RBdigital.  We did not need to buy new cards but we did
need the new barcodes which we just purchased through Demco.  I did have to
work closely with TLN to make sure we had the correct format.  We have been
using the new barcodes for all new cards we give out and if anyone wants to
access RBdigital they will also need a new barcode for their card.  Because
our old barcodes are compatible with OverDrive, MelCat and Freegal we
didn't need to replace everyone's cards just those people who wanted to
access RBdigital and of course every new card we give out.



It might be painful to switch all of your patrons over but I would think it
would be much easier to have one barcode that can access all of your
services and that you can now offer to new card holders that you sign up.

*Detroit Area Library Network*

In the past I was at a library that had to redo all barcodes from scratch.
In general, I always recommend moving to a standard barcode.  That helps to
make sure your codes will work in multiple and various systems.  Usually
codabar 14 digits, last digit a check sum, is what we have used.



I have recommended Watson Label Products http://wlp.com/
<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwlp.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7Ccamden%40monroe.lib.mi.us%7Ce762bb1d56a241e2e65108d557a7d6b1%7C526ff4e31ba7453c9fb17562147081dd%7C0%7C0%7C636511300746452929&sdata=0t62ujNERZ940E00xyKRYs8Wy8ThNrsO%2BVnGY2sn%2BVI%3D&reserved=0>.
They can do the plastic cards and key tags as well as convert or give you
barcode ranges.

 *North Adams Community Memorial Library*

We did it. Our new cards came last March. I went with RACO Industries.
That's where we got our receipt printer, wand and stand and our bar codes.
I got twice as many library cards for the money as (I think it was DEMCO)
wanted. Every time I thought we were ready to order with this other
company, they had another question for me. And I couldn't get answers from
them to my questions. They always had to go consult someone else. Their
last question to me was something that I had to ask RACO about. RACO was
very helpful - answered my question with no fooling around. Then asked if I
knew they did borrower cards, too! No, I did not. And at that point I was
tired of dealing with the other company.

We use the standard 14-digit bar code - the last digit being a check digit.
We have a wallet card and a key tag, using our own art work.

As patrons come in, I just swap their old card for the new one. I have to
change it in our system. Change it in Overdrive Library Card Manager (where
you add them initially) and then go to Overdrive MarketPlace and merge
their old number with the new one. A few steps, but not bad.



You need to upload a new record into MeL. Look up your patron by name in
MeL, make sure the new one is there and that there is nothing current on
the old one, then delete the old one. Not a big deal if you can keep them
from using the old number. There were a couple of people that I had to put
stops on the old number to get them to stop using it.



One thing I just discovered is that I forgot that Transparent Language and
ComicsPlus and RBDigital had to know how many digits, and the digits your
numbers begin with (just got that taken care of).

*T.A. Cutler Memorial Library*

We faced this situation before we went live on Overdrive and RBDigital last
year. We had alphanumeric barcodes that included a space, which resulted in
coding issues every time we tried to integrate via SIP2 with any electronic
resources, including MeLCat when we went live with NCIP enhancements and
Freading when we added ebooks for the first time.



So we switched to 14-digit barcodes early last year. We're still
implementing the changeover. As someone brings in an old card we update
their registration record and issue a new card with new number. We
contacted MeLCat before we initiated the changeover and Freading after. We
also let Overdrive and RBDigital know they should only accept patron
accounts that match the new format, in order to encourage active patrons to
bring in their card for a replacement and to make sure no one fell through
the cracks.



We didn't need to purchase the plastic cards, because our previous stock
were blank and we place a barcode sticker on the card and a matching digit
sticker on the registration card (Data2 is the source of our two-part
barcode stickers).



It has been approximately 10 months since we initiated the changeover. We
can tell at a glance whether an account has been updated yet and we only
update accounts as needed (as with any library, we have many inactive
accounts and I saw no reason to renumber all of them). I think we've
updated approximately 850-1000 accounts in the 10-month period whereas our
patron file (active and inactive) contains about 4500 records.



I would totally do it again. There hasn't been a great deal of labor
involved, there has been very little pushback from our patrons (some aren't
so keen on entering 14 digits where they previously only needed to enter 6,
but they accept the trade-off with increased digital access), the cost was
under $1000, and the headaches associated with SIP2 are gone.

*Milan Public Library*

We use vanguard for the plastic cards, with the key card and a little
barcode tail that we put on their application. When we switched to
Vanguard, years ago, they handled the barcode changing but I barely
remember that. This one card does melcat, our system and overdrive. We
don't have the RBD thingy. Our automation system is Autographics/Verso.
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