FAQs: Barcode Preprocessing for SirsiDynix Symphony K12 Systems

Within SirsiDynix Symphony, every item is required to have a unique ID. This can present a problem for school libraries using non unique barcode numbers as they migrate to SirsiDynix Symphony K12. For example, a school library, GREEN, may have an item ID of 101, but another school library, PARKER, also has an item ID of 101. Additionally, some school libraries may have barcodes that exceed SirsiDynix Symphony’s 16-character maximum barcode length. These barcodes will need to be preprocessed as they are scanned.

Barcode Policies

Six Barcode policy definitions are delivered with every SirsiDynix Symphony system. Any number of Barcode policies can be created. The Barcode policy contains attributes which can be used in preprocessing barcode numbers. For instance, the Remove All Alphabetic Characters and Remove All Leading 0’s attributes can be used alone or together to shorten the length of a barcode.

For example, a SirsiDynix Symphony K12 library may have a barcode 24 characters in length, such as ABCDE000FG1234567890HI01. The fixed-length Barcode policy indicates that all alphabetic characters and leading zeros should be removed. As the barcode is scanned into SirsiDynix Symphony, first all alphabetic characters are removed, then all leading zeros are removed, and the barcode reads as 123456789001.

Additionally, Skip and Use Length attributes can be used to ignore reading a defined number of characters of a barcode. For more information, see the Barcode Wizard topic.

Append Station Library Number Attribute

The Append Station Library Number attribute is a special Barcode policy attribute for SirsiDynix Symphony K12 only. If this attribute is selected, the Station Library policy number will be appended to the beginning of the barcode after all other barcode skip capabilities are applied. This attribute can be used to create a unique barcode number (item ID) when scanned into SirsiDynix Symphony.

For example, two school libraries, GREEN and PARKER, use similar barcode numbering schemes. Their SirsiDynix Symphony K12 system is configured to use a Barcode policy with the Append Station Library Number attribute selected. The barcode number D001 is used by both libraries. When the D001 barcode is scanned at the GREEN library, the Station Library policy number for this library is four, which is appended to the barcode, and the barcode now reads as 0004D001. When the D001 barcode is scanned at the PARKER library, the Station Library policy number for this library is five, which is appended to the barcode, and the barcode now reads as 0005D001.

When creating new items using cataloging wizards, any time a barcode is input, the Append Station Library Number barcode preprocessing will be applied. Additionally, as you load new records into your system either by SmartPORT or by the Load Bibliographic records report, this barcode preprocessing will also be applied.

If your SirsiDynix Symphony K12 system uses the Append Station Library Number barcode preprocessing, your libraries will not be able to checkout or discharge each other’s items. For instance, if a GREEN library book shows up at the PARKER library, and you scan the GREEN book’s barcode (at a PARKER library workstation), the system will think it is checking out PARKER’s book.