[OPLINLIST] Library Card App

[Katrina Miday]

Hello!

I've used both applications you talked about with a variety of different
cards, and I have also worked retail where I had to try to scan barcodes
on devices from a variety of apps, not just the ones you listed.  (They
have them for everything now, for example Starbucks has its own
scan-able Starbucks Card App, or you can add different coupons to your
phone, etc.)  

For the most part, I can't use my camera to recognize a barcode (grocery
stores, book stores, libraries).  I think it's just because the camera
in my phone isn't that great of a quality.  The apps should have an
option to add barcodes by hand if you can't get the camera to pick them
up.

As for being able to scan the barcodes after inputting them, it all
depends on the scanners being used and the type of device being scanned.
I have an early phone and some scanners can pick up the barcode, some
can't.  Screen protectors can help or inhibit scanning as well.

It also depends on what type of barcode the app displays.  I can't
recall which app displays what type of barcode, but one does give you
the option of what size and what type or barcode to display (an ordinary
lined barcode or the new-fangled square ones).  I'm sure some scanners
don't have the ability to recognize the new square barcodes.

So, to summarize, it's not a problem with your library's library cards.
It depends on the device you're scanning, the type of barcode being
displayed on the device, and/or the scanner itself.  I wouldn't go
purchase all new cards or scanning hardware for your library for an app
that isn't used terribly often (I got maybe 3-4 a month at the large
retail store).  If worst comes to worst you can always type a barcode
number in by hand (at least that's what they had us to when I worked
retail, and what other stores do when it won't scan my own phone).

Oh! Do have your library create a policy where staff members DO NOT
touch or handle the patron's phone in any way when scanning barcodes.
They drilled that into us at the retail store because if you take it
from the customer (patron) and then drop it and damage it the store
and/or employee would then be liable for damaging personal property, or
at least that's what they told us.

Hope that helps!

Katrina L. Miday

Library Consultant - Technology

State Library of Ohio

Tel: 614-644-1710

www.library.ohio.gov <http://www.library.ohio.gov/> 

 

________________________________

From: Debra Wittkop [mailto:DWITTKOP at columbuslibrary.org] 
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 1:20 PM
To: oplinlist at lists.oplin.org
Subject: [OPLINLIST] Library Card App

 

CardStar is a mobile application that scans all membership cards and
stores them on your smartphone/ipod.  I was trying to use it with our
library cards, but after getting them input manually by typing in the
numbers, the barcodes will not scan.  Any libraries out there have any
luck with this?  There is a tutorial online from a library in Illinois
for their patrons (so someone has gotten it to work) and many Ohio
libraries are listed as "Merchants" on the CardStar app as location.  I
was wondering if it was our scanners perhaps that are the problem or the
library cards (maybe we need to explore other vendors?) as I can't get
them to be entered in through camera mode.

 

I have also tried one called "Key Ring" with the same results.

 

Any advice or input is appreciated!

 

Debbie Wittkop

Circulation Services Librarian

Southwest Public Libraries

Grove City Public Library

3359 Park Street

Grove City, OH 43123

614.875.6716 x134

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