At 03:02 PM 2/3/98 Janie Branham <jbranham@SELU.EDU> wrote:
>Hello,
>
>We are a NOTIS library interested in barcoding our bound serials and
>microfilm collections so that we can track usage over an extended period
>of time.  These collections do not circulate, so barcoding will be done
>primarily as a collection development/inventory tool.  Our current
>collection is already barcoded (barcodes attached to the shelf next to
>each title, then scanned each time an issue is re-shelved) and this has
>worked fairly well.  I'd like to hear from other libraries, particularly
>NOTIS sites, who have barcoded their bound and/or film collections.  I
>understand that there is a limit as to the number of NOTIS item records
>that can be created within a single copy statement.  Did you find this to
>be true?  If so, how did you handle it?  After creating so many item
>records, did you experience a significant delay in response time when
>searching by title?
>
>Other than barcoding, has anyone tried another method of tracking bound
>journal usage?  If so, I'd love to hear from you.

SRU is currently a NOTIS site (preparing to move to Voyager).  We barcoded
our microfilm when we had closed stacks.  We have over 3300 barcodes on one
copy record for New York Times with no problems (searching or otherwise).
If there is a limit for item records, we haven't found it yet. (Of course,
we didn't barcode ERIC, ASI or CIS fiche!)

The problem I found with using these for usage statistics was having a way
to pull out the data from each item record.  We do not have the programming
staff to do custom reports.  You might want to check on NOTIS-L if anyone
ever wrote a program to extract the charge and browse data from the item
record.  If not, you may want to go with an extra barcode per format (copy
statement) for usage stats and use the individual barcodes only for
inventory purposes.

Nancy S. Hanks
Serials Librarian               Phone:  (724) 738-2658
Bailey Library                  Fax:    (724) 738-2661
Slippery Rock University        Email:  nancy.hanks@sru.edu
Slippery Rock, PA  16057