Right.  i'm am trying to determine if there is a barcode standard that is
generally used more than others within the museum community.  for the very
purpose of interoperability.  i would like  to be sure that a barcode label
on one of my pieces could be read by most other institutions.

Gary Acord
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-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Michael A. Lewis
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2000 11:14 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: bar-coding


Charles Gruchy wrote:

> We are currently looking into using barcodes and the info I have is the
> following:
> There are standards that the barcodes use to ensure that the numbers the
> bars represent are read by the readers.  The issue for the barcodes is how
> they are linked to an institution's  database and to the specific fields
> within the database.   The numbers in the various fields in an
institution's
> database are the ones that the barcodes represent.  Hence, unless there is
> some form of standardization between various institutions' databases,
> barcode numbers will not represent the same thing in different
institutions.
> Perhaps the more germane question is "Is there a standard database?"
>

    A bar code reader is merely another in-out device that enters data into
the computer. It is no different than your keyboard. The numbers that the
bar code reader interprets from the bar code correspond to the alphanumeric
sequence you use to identify the objects in your
collections, that is the catalog and/or accession numbers used in your
database.
    There is no need to have a standardized barcode system any more than
there is a need to have a standardized accession/cataloging system. Each
institution has their own system based on past history and current needs.
the barcode reader and subsequent software need only comply
with you existing accessioning system.

    Michael A. Lewis
    Archaeology Collections Manager
    University of Alaska Museum

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