BARCODING INSTRUCTIONS

Scope: The procedures described here represent the current best practices for barcoding all material types at the University of Maryland Libraries. Links are provided to examples of all formats as well as links to examples of exceptional or problematic cases.

Please contact the Preservation Production Group Leader with any questions or comments at
301 405-9343.

• Introduction and general guidelines
• When to use single-backed bar codes
• When to use double-backed bar codes
• Procedures
• textual materials
• nonprint materials
• special collections
• Exceptions
• Hebrew language books
• juvenile books
• maps and posters
• Avoid covering unique information
• When covering information cannot be avoided

Barcoding instructions and examples by material format and type of enclosure

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General Guidelines

• Place barcode on the center, front cover of item, 1/4 inch from head. (See Exceptions to this guideline.)
• Place the barcode on the item parallel to the head. This will ensure that the barcode will be read by the self-checkout machine.
• Avoid placing barcodes over printed information on the item if the information is found nowhere else. For example, if the normal placement of the barcode would cover the title and the title is also on the spine or the title page, do use the normal placement.
• Avoid placing barcodes, double or single-backed, on title pages or other pages in the book. Like all self-adhesive labels, these will eventually damage the paper.
• DO NOT place barcodes on any items with special handling flyers, going to special collections locations.

Single-backed barcodes

• Audiocassettes
• Books, hardcover
• Books, paperback
• CD ROM plastic jewel cases
• DVD plastic jewel cases
• Government documents
• Microfiche envelope
• Microfilm box
• Monographs being prepared for binding
• Music scores, hardcover
• Pamphlet bindings
• Phase boxes, tux boxes
• Portfolios
• Serials that are not to be bound
• Supersedes, including exceptions
• Videocassettes

Double-backed barcodes

• Items such as pamphlets going for preservation consideration (place double-backed barcode in top center of inside back cover)
• Periodical bindable units after they have been collapsed in Aleph and receive bindery preparation (place the double-backed barcode on the center, front cover of issue in front of the bindable unit. NOTE: Only use placement of double-backed barcodes on the front cover of periodicals, not monographs. The point is that double-backed barcodes can be peeled off and the ones on monographs need to be permanently stuck)
• Materials with Special Handling flyer (place barcode on the front of the Special Handling flyer itself, near the tail or bottom)
• Music scores that receive pamphlet bindings (place double-backed barcode in top center of inside back cover)
• Loose leaflets for Government Documents (placed on the back of the loose leaflets, 1/4 inch from the head, a little right of center)

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1. Procedure for textual materials

Hardcover books: Use single barcode. Place the barcode on the center, front cover of piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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Paperback books: Use single barcode. Place the barcode on the center, front cover of piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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Serials: Use single barcode. Place the barcode on the center, front cover of piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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Phase boxes: Use two (2) single barcodes. Place one barcode on the center, front cover of phase box, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

Book inside phase box: The book gets the same barcode as phase box, and applied on the center, front cover, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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Tux boxes: Use double-single barcode. Place one barcode on the center, front cover of tux box, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

Book inside Tux box: The book gets the same bar code as tux box, applied on the center, front cover, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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Portfolios: Use two (2) single barcodes. Place one barcode on the center, front cover of the piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

Item inside Portfolio: The item inside gets the same barcode as the portfolio.

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Supersedes: Use single barcode. Place barcode on the center, front cover of the piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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Materials with pamphlet bindings: Use double-single barcode. Place barcode on the center, front cover of pamphlet binding, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

Pamphlet inside pambind Pamphlet gets the same barcode as pambind.

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Unbound periodical bindable unit: Use single double-backed barcode. Place the barcode on the center, front cover of this bindable unit, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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After Binding (Bound Periodical) Remove the double-backed barcode from the inside front cover. Place the barcode on the outside cover as shown here. The barcode is centered on the cover, 1/4 inch from the top edge. This procedures applies to all materials with double-backed barcodes, i.e. new paperbacks, old hardbacks covers, serials, music scores, phase box and all bound periodicals.

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Music score Prior to pamphlet binding Do not barcode parts in a set of score and parts. Place a single double-backed barcode centered on inside back cover, 1/4 inch from the top edge.

Music score after pambound Remove double-backed barcode from the inside back cover of music score and place it centered on the outside cover 1/4 inch from the top edge.

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Government documents HARDCOVER MONOGRAPHS AND SERIALS: normal placement -- use single-backed barcodes, place one on the center, front cover of item, 1/4 inch from head. Agency seals and emblems may be covered. PAPERBACK MONOGRAPHS AND SERIALS: Neber bind before sending to GovDocs. Process as normal for hardcover, i.e. ALWAYS barcode, use single-backed barcodes, place one on the center, front cover of item, 1/4 inch from head. MICROFICHE: place one single backed barcode on sleeve of first fiche. POSTERS, MAPS: Process as normal for other posters and maps, i.e., place barcode on the reverse side of map or poster, upper left corner, 1/4 inch from head, 1/4 inch from left side.

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2. Placement of barcodes on Non-Print Library Materials

General guideline: Place one barcode on the container for the non-print item.

NEVER place bar codes on actual CD-ROMS, computer diskettes, music CDs, audiocassettes, microfilm reels, microfiche, and DVDs. There is a risk of the label interfering with access to the content.

Non-print items that receive pamphlet bindings are audiocassettes, CDs, computer diskettes, and DVDs.

Audiocassette: Place one barcode on the pamphlet binding or other enclosure, centered, 1/4 inch below the top. Do not place a barcode on the audiocassette itself because the barcode could get stuck in the playback equipment

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Pamphlet binding for CD's or other electronic media: Place barcode on the center, front cover of the pambind, 1/4 inch from head.

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CD ROM pamphlet binding with pocket inside Do not place barcode on plastic jewel case inside pambinding

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b) Items WITHOUT Pamphlet Bindings:

The following locations receive CD ROMs and DVDs WITHOUT pamphlet bindings:

• Art Library
• Chemistry Library
• Government Documents
• McKeldin Reference
• Performing Arts Library

General guideline: Place barcode on the center, front cover of plastic jewel case, 1/4 inch from head for the following non-print items

Plastic jewel case for CD ROM The outside of the plastic jewel case receives a label and a property sticker. Inside the jewel case the documentation also receives a label and the barcode. Avoid placing barcodes over printed documentation if the information is found nowhere else on the item.

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Plastic jewel case for DVD The outside of the plastic jewel case receives a label and a property sticker. Inside the jewel case the documentation also receives a label and the barcode. Avoid placing barcodes over printed documentation if the documentation is found nowhere else on the item.

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Videocassette: Place one barcode on the videocassette, centered, below the cassette label.

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Microfiche with envelope Place barcode on the center, front of the microfiche envelope, 1/4 inch from the top opening. Microfiche are usually continuing resources that come in multi fiche sets. Only the first microfiche receives the barcode. Do not bacode microfiche for: Barrons Sabin Western Journal of Nursing Research

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Microfilm box: Place barcode on each microfilm box beneath the thumb cut-out on the box

Microfilm box: Slide the foil backed-label with call number and title information into the top of the box with barcode and label information facing towards you.

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Do not place barcodes on any library materials that you think may be Special Collections Materials. See your supervisor for any questions relating to processing Special Collections items.

Special Handling items

Do not place barcodes on any materials that come with the Special Handling flyer in them.

Special Handling flyer - Location of barcode Apply double-backed barcode near the bottom on Special Handling flyers

Special Handling flyer inside item Place Special Handling flyer and label with backing, inside book with any other paperwork. NEVER affix barcode to items that come with a special handling flyer in them. NEVER label items that come with a special handling flyer in them.

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Hebrew Book

Hebrew Book Hebrew and Yiddish materials are read from right to left. The front cover of a Hebrew/Yiddish bppk is the rear cover of a Roman language book. Use single barcode. Place the barcode on the lower center,front cover of piece, 1/4 inch from the tail (or bottom edge of the book) Remember to place barcode so numbers appear upside down from western convention for self- checkout machines to capture the numbers.

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Juvenile Books

All dust jackets for juvenile books are kept with the book.
There are always two barcodes per juvenile book, that is two labels of the same barcode.

Dust jacket of Juvenile Book Place barcode on the center, front dust jacket of piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

Juvenile Book Place barcode on the center, front cover of piece 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge)

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Maps and Posters

Back of poster or map Use single barcode. Place barcode on the reverse side of map or poster, upper left corner, 1/4 inch from head, 1/4 inch from left side.

Front of poster or map Barcode is on the back of the poster, never in front. (see previous image)

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Phonograph Record Place barcode on the record label. Avoid placing barcode over printed information if possible. It is not always possible to avoid covering information with this format.

Cover of Phonograph Record Do not attach barcode to cover. Cover gets property stamp.

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Superseded Materials Do not barcode superseded materials with paper pocket parts.

Superseded Materials with call numbers in pencil If Acquisitions have penciled the call number on a superceded item, DO NOT barcode. End Processing sends these items directly to location.

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Mixed format Material

Mixed Format Materials These items get their own individual barcodes. Do not separate mixed format materials. They always get processed together.	Avoid placing barcodes over unique printed information on the item -- that is, if the information is found nowhere else. For example, if the information is also found on the spine or title page, place the barcode in the normal location.

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Avoid Covering Unique Information

If information is found nowhere else on an item, avoid covering it with a barcode.

These five examples show barcodes that may cover unique information. Guideline: Place barcodes on background rather than on unique printed information. Follow these steps: Find the nearest space without printing on it It is okay to cover articles if necessary Place the barcode on the blank space or over articles parallel to the horizontal edges of the book Please note: The self-checkout machines require that the barcode be placed on the item parallel to the head of the book. Place barcodes so that they line up as straight and parallel as possible so that they will work on the self-checkout machines.

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No choice but to cover printed information Place the barcode in the usual place i.e. Place barcode on the center, front cover of piece, 1/4 inch from the head (or top edge).

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