Which Barcode Is Real? Solving a Post-Migration Mystery at Scale

Abstract

Following our migration to Alma, we discovered that many item records contained multiple barcodes: one in the official barcode field, and additional barcodes buried in item notes. Even worse, there was no reliable way to know which barcode was physically attached to the item. This ambiguity caused ongoing problems for circulation, inventory, and digitization workflows, and affected roughly 60,000 items. Rather than addressing these records only as problems arose, we designed a coordinated, data driven cleanup effort that combined custom PHP tools, Alma Analytics, and Library Open Workflows. This presentation will describe the operational impact of the problem and our shared workflow that allowed multiple library units to collaborate safely and efficiently on remediation while leveraging existing workflows. The talk will also highlight experimental tools developed alongside this project (including an XR glasses interface) that may prove useful for future in the stacks data validation and cleanup.