All new resources and borrowers that are added to the library system using a scanner (or manually via keyboard entry) are allocated a barcode. Each length/format of a barcode can be configured to apply 'alterations' before a resource or borrower is searched for in the system. For instance, in many cases books that are loaned temporarily (such as ones from the Schools Library Service) normally have a longer length barcode that also contains letters, such as R47584F4458. In the cases where the book is catalogued as a shortened version like R47584, how is this resource located? This is where barcode masks comes in.

 

A barcode mask is what configures how a scanned barcode should be interpreted. When the system receives input from a barcode scanner, a mask applies rules to how it should be output.

 

Input  >  mask processing  >  Output

 

In the example provided above, the input is represented by the scanned barcode: R47584F4458.  The mask processing is configured to remove the last 5 characters of this type of barcode so F4458 is removed. Finally, the rule finishes applying and outputs R47584. A book with the outputted result/barcode is found.

 

 

 

Barcode masks must be unique in length/format. For example, you cannot have 2 fully numeric 5 digit barcode masks for resources, one to remove certain characters and one to not remove anything. The system has to uniquely identify the appropriate mask to use in order to apply it.

 

For more information about configuring barcode masks, click here or see the topics on the left menu.

 

 

 

 

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