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Not everyone needs to rebarcode their collection, but if your barcode range overlaps with another library in the system, or has a small number of digits, then you may need to rebarcode your collection before joining Cardinal.
Below is some advice from Rishara Finsel, the Library Director at Transylvania County Public Library from the time she went through a rebarcoding project while at Polk County.
Rebarcoding is a big project; there's no sugarcoating that. We rebarcoded slightly more than 50,000 items and it took us a year and a day.
Time: We use RFID, so we also had to reprogram those tags, and we also switched to RFID stingray tags on discs while we were at it. This made our process a lot more involved than a simple barcode replacement. We estimate that it took about 45-50 seconds per item, on average, to rebarcode and reprogram RFID tags. I'm guessing that about 30 seconds per item is a generous estimate for just rebarcoding, though it will depend on your ILS and set-up. We didn't have a time crunch, so generally treated it as a side project, which is why it took a year. It certainly could have been done in a shorter timeframe, but the overall staff hours needed wouldn't change much, regardless of whether those staff hours are spread out or scheduled for a shorter deadline.
Process: We made a master map of the collection, and my tech services librarian used that to track progress and direct people where to work. We usually had two different collection areas being worked at any given time, with different people working on each. We made a mobile station with a laptop, barcode scanner, and stack of barcodes that we took to the stacks to rebarcode most of the books. In some cases, with media and with smaller collections, we filled a cart with items and took them to a staff workstation and rebarcoded there; that usually only happened at our smaller branch (which wasn't big enough to make a mobile station worthwhile) or when the mobile station was in use elsewhere. Working in the stacks was generally more efficient.
Who: We had a variety of staff working on rebarcoding, as well as three very trusted long-term volunteers. My tech services librarian kept a loose schedule of when people were working on it. Essentially though, if you had free time, and the mobile station was available, you grabbed it and just picked up where the last person left off.
Advice and lessons learned:
Our recommendation is to use Codabar with a Mod 10 L-to-R check digit for item barcodes and patron barcodes. Check digits are not required by Evergreen and many Cardinal systems do not have them. They are however a "best practice" and may come in handy, for instance, if you want your self check machines to verify that the number it scanned is a valid barcode.
The other barcode type in use is Code 39.
Configuration of the Check Digit
Mod 10 L-to-R 2-1-2
check digit
Patron barcode begin with : 58198000000000
I’m
going to use the example sequence number of: 5 8 1 9 8 0 0 0 9 4 3 9 9
First, starting at the left, you multiply each number by 2, 1, 2, 1, etc…
5 8 1 9 8 0 0 0 9 4 3 9 9
X 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2
10 8 2 9 16 0 0 0 18 4 6 9 18
If the result of any multiplication is a two-digit number, add those two numbers together to create one number. For example,5 x 2 = 10. Add the 1 and 0 together to get 1.
For the above number, results of the multiplication, then additions when there are two-digit numbers are:
1 8 2 9 7 0 0 0 9 4 6 9 9
Add all
single-digit results together:
1+8+2+9+7+0+0+0+9+4+6+9+9 = 64
The check digit is the amount you must add to this result (64) to get to the next multiple of 10. In this case it would take 6 to get from 64 to 70 so the check digit is 6.
Here is a list of equipment (barcode scanners, printers, etc.) and software that are compatible with Evergreen.
Barcode Ranges for Patron Accounts and Items
NC Cardinal requires library systems to utilize consistent barcode ranges for their patron accounts and items so to avoid data conflicts.
Patron Data
Social Security Number must never be stored in Evergreen; all SSNs should be stripped out of your ILS before migration into NC Cardinal
Bibliographic Data
Joining NC Cardinal means that a library system's bibliographic records will be merged with existing NC Cardinal bibliographic records, which are "owned" at the consortium level and shared by all libraries. Therefore, donation or gift information and any other local information will not be retained in the shared consortium bibliographic records. If your library currently stores local information in bibliographic records, staff should begin recording this data elsewhere — either in the item record or outside of the ILS. You can publish this information on your website or in print format in the library, if you desire, but donation information will not be publicly visible in the NC Cardinal shared catalog.
In preparation for mapping conversation: Describe some of the Evergreen processes that may be unique/different:
Org unit and permission group hierarchies
Cataloging hierarchies – title, volume, item
No donation/gift or other local info in bib records - document elsewhere
Item collection – weeding – billing for lost items – void max interval – negative balances
Begin reporting on collection data (total circs and circ history may not migrate)
Billing info from old ILS may be limited - may show as “grocery”
Weed now, as much as possible
Patron Groups:
Affect consortium (long list @ registration, number & complexity of circ/hold rules, etc.)
Expiration dates are staff editable at time of registration/renewal
Stat cats should be used when labeling does not impact circ/hold rules, limits, etc.
Circ Mods
Must be defined in Item Attributes for every item cataloged
Intended for circ and hold policy functionality only - not to be used as category labels (can use item stat cat for that)
Can use SL to distinguish for circ rules (not hold rules)
Shelving Locations:
Must be defined in Item Attributes for every item cataloged
Affect monthly circulation reports (consortium)
Questions to ask yourself when mapping shelving locations:
Does it identify the physical location in the library where the patron will find the item?
Does it impact circ rules?
If not, do you distinguish these items for staff or stakeholders, rather than patrons? If so, it may be more appropriate to utilize item stat cats, call # prefix/suffix, or create more/better library signage
Discussion:
Circ and hold policies tied to circ mods & shelving locations (for circ policies only)
Training dates - location, projector & screen, computer workstations or laptops for staff to practice (can share)
Suggestions:
Flexible thinking - Staff may need to be adjust workflows to accommodate the differences in old/new ILS structures
Ask lots of questions at all times!
The Library Settings Document will provide the necessary pertinent information of an incoming library system. The Library Settings Document is the first documentation recorded when starting a migration, and is shared and discussed with the incoming library system. This documentation allows for the incoming library system to start shaping how it will migrate into the NC Cardinal consortium, based off its own rules and rules that apply to all consortium members.
Once the incoming library system and NCC have completed filling in the necessary settings, NCC can create the Organization Unit for the incoming system and begin setting up the Library Settings.
Using the Library Settings Editor within Evergreen, Local System Admnistrators (LSAs) can optionally customize Evergreen's behaviour for a particular library or library system.
NCC uses a Google Doc Mother template for the Library Settings, which includes Library Information, Financial, Holds, Cataloging, and General information from the incoming migrating library system.
Categories on these library setting documents include Library Setting Name of functionality, description of functionality, Cardinal Value (if functionality applies across the consortium), Library System Value (where the incoming library system can decide based off their own functionality or rules), Acceptable Values (provides clarity on how to answer the Library System Value), and and Recommendations and/ or Comments.
The Library Settings Tabs and Documentation can be viewed here.
Incoming Library System Workflows and Circulation and Holds Policies
Workflows of Circulation or Front-Line staff : Please describe any workflows that your front-line staff perform on a daily basis. Examples may include :
Do you have a public holds shelf separate from behind the counter?
Do you have a courier service/system for sharing materials between branches? Please describe the set up?
Do you have a workflow for taking monies for services, ie. printing, faxes, etc., and please describe.
Do you have a separate check-in station for material returns?
Self-check station(s)?
Any unique or out of the ordinary duties that front-line staff perform for their patrons?
Circulation: Please describe the way your patrons currently circulate your materials, including as much detail as possible.
Holds: Please describe the way your patrons can currently place holds on your materials, including as much detail as possible.
You will have a team of your staff members who participate in weekly migration calls with the NC Cardinal team and MOBIUS team. Part of the migration process also means preparing the rest of the library staff and keeping them fully informed during the migration process. All library staff will have access to the training database, but it is up to the library director and migration team to let all staff know that they should be exploring the training database and practicing their usual workflows in the new Evergreen environment to be better prepared for in-person training dates.
Using meetings, presentations, handouts, and internal networks to inform staff of the overall migration timeline, in-person training dates they will be expected to prepare for and attend, and migration call discussions can be helpful to overall staff buy-in and smooth adjustment to change. Attached you will find an example of a staff training presentation used by Polk County Public Libraries to prepare staff.
NC Cardinal offers many training opportunities and resources to members of the consortium. Please visit the NC Cardinal Support and Staff Education knowledge base to see all of the training knowledge books available, click on knowledge tags, or search by keyword. We also have an NC Cardinal YouTube channel with NC Cardinal training videos and playlists, as well as playlists of videos from other Evergreen consortia that may be helpful.
These are some of the key resources that will be used during migration into the consortium:
In addition to the differences listed in the Getting Your Data Ready and Getting Patrons Ready sections, staff will need to adjust to several potential differences from your current ILS when moving to NC Cardinal.
Staff may not place holds for or checkout to their staff login access account. Instead, use personal accounts for personal holds and circulations and Institution accounts for work-related library holds and circulations
Searching NC Cardinal consortium before issuing library cards — patrons must be in good standing if they have any existing NC Cardinal accounts; do not merge or overwrite another library system's card
Patrons can present library cards from other NC Cardinal systems and check out your materials just like your own patrons (your circulation policies apply) - you cannot charge them any fees to use their card or
require them
to get a card from your library.
Staff may have to deal with billing challenges with another library's materials or patron fines and fees
Libraries joining NC Cardinal must resource share
with the entire consortium
all books, audiobooks, music, and videos that circulate to their patrons.
Cataloging Best Practices and Assessments: NC Cardinal requires that all staff who will perform cataloging functions must conform to consortium Cataloging Best Practices and pass cataloging assessments. Please see the Cataloging Permission Requirements page for more detailed information.
Your staff and patrons may need some transition training to adjust to several changes that come with joining the NC Cardinal consortium:
Holds are not First In, First Out in NC Cardinal
6-month age hold protection
Importance of pull list — must pull all items at least once per day (when open)
24-hour targeter
Opportunistic capture
Searching the enormous NC Cardinal catalog may be more challenging
Millions of bibliographic records and broader matching criteria may mean patrons need to use more search terms (title and author vs. title keyword), target smaller subset (video items vs all), and may need to sort by publication date for the latest novels, non-fiction, or videos.
After your library system receives notification that migration is approved and a timeframe for migration into NC Cardinal, it is time to begin getting patrons excited about the changes and new opportunities for resource sharing across the state.
Rishara Finsel, current director of Transylvania County Public Library, did an excellent job preparing her community before migration when she was the director of the Polk County Public Libraries in January 2018:
• I presented to the county commissioners in August, which resulted in a newspaper article: Despite my misspelled name, it was a pretty good article. However, it gave the impression that Cardinal would be available immediately, so we started getting questions at that point. I talked about it at every meeting and public opportunity between then and go live. http://m.tryondailybulletin.com/2017/08/24/polk-library-joins-nc-cardinal/
• In November, we started advertising heavily to customers within our libraries. To tie up loose ends with Rutherford, we had to taper off our intra-library services, so customers needed to know why. We really wanted to give a positive spin on all of it, so we talked a lot about resource sharing. At that point, we started giving out brochures and talking with our regular customers.
• In December, we put up a TV slideshow at the front entrance with bright colors and fast facts. We also put most of the web content up at the beginning of December (but tweaked it as we went.) This is still online, but not linked from anywhere else on our website anymore: https://polklibrary.org/cardinal/
• About 2 weeks before go live, we got pretty aggressive (friendly aggressive) about letting people who currently use the library know about changes and that some online services will be unavailable during migration.
• We focused our external PR and big celebrating on the resource sharing start and all the new advantages of that, not on the initial go-live date. Existing customers needed to know how they were affected by the ILS change, but the things that actually got people excited came with resource sharing. On resource sharing start day, we had cupcakes and balloons in the libraries to celebrate.
• We offered some casual customer training classes in February, but only had a couple of people show for each. Their biggest advantage was being a reassurance for Circ staff, because it gave a referral option should there be any truly confused or frustrated customers. They were fine though, and didn't need to worry because they were thoroughly prepared!
Your patrons, along with library staff, may need some training on how to search the NC Cardinal catalog to find the materials they want. Remember that your patrons will no longer be searching through just your collection. Instead, they will be searching through the consortium catalog filled with about 2 million bibliographic records. NC Cardinal also uses a broad set of potential matching criteria from the MARC record, so both staff and patrons may find that using the Advanced Search screen more targeted search strategies are beneficial.
There are many ways migrating libraries can train patrons to use the NC Cardinal catalog effectively. Handouts, signage at OPAC stations, informational web pages, short training videos, and in-person training classes for patrons before and after migration are all good options.
Here are some materials created by NC Cardinal member libraries that may provide inspiration for your own patron training efforts:
Cleveland County: YouTube video and FAQ
Davidson County: YouTube video
Davie County: YouTube video
Henderson County: Search Tip pdfs; 2016 PowerPoint presentation
Polk County Libraries: https://polklibrary.org/cardinal/
Post Migration Checklist
Please do the following on the go-live day to identify and report issues that may need to be addressed post-migration. We have a limited time in which to repair migration errors and require the information as soon as possible post migration. Failure to report issues may mean they cannot be repaired.
Patrons
Items
Library migration team, MOBIUS, and NC Cardinal will establish the final date for any activity in old ILS. This period often begins over the weekend prior to the Thursday Go Live date and is the start of the offline period prior to go live in Evergreen/NC Cardinal. Any transactions performed in the old ILS after this date will not be included in the migration data moving to Evergreen. For the following several days, MOBIUS will be processing data (bibliographic records, call number and item records, patrons, and transactions) from the old ILS and importing it into Evergreen.
Monday morning: Library is offline during final data load
Wednesday afternoon: NCC team arrives and processes offline transactions
Thursday: GoLive into NC Cardinal's production instance of Evergreen :
Friday: Continue on-site support of library system's GoLive within NC Cardinal :
Think about when to have the incoming library system's GoLive for resource sharing