In reply to Beth Toren:

I have checked with our circulation supervisor concerning this matter and
his reply is as follows:

We maintain a supply of CHARge cards which have unlinked barcodes attached.

When a client presents an unbound issue of a serial, we call up the holdings
statement for the title and either create a new item record for the issue
or we recycle one of the previously used item records.

The volume number and date of the issue(s) is entered in the ENUM/CHRON field.
The record is UPDATED before linking to one of the supply of barcoded cards.
The item record is redisplayed and linked to the barcoded card.  Occasionally
one of the barcoded cards will be linked to another record.  If this happens
you have to clear the screen and re-enter all the data.  UPDATing before
linking saves the ENUM/CHRON data.

The barcoded cards and the CHARge slip are tucked in the issue and the client
is instructed to return the card with the item.

When the item is returned, the item record is checked before DISCharge to
insure that what is being returned is what was borrowed.  We often CHARge more
than one issue per record.

If the record and item(s) match, then the item is DISCharged.
The "used" barcoded cards are retained for two weeks after which time
the item record is "cleansed", the ENUM/CHRON data is replaced with
"DE-ASSIGNED RECORD" (programmed in a "FAST" key) and the barcode is
erased.  The card is then available for re-use.

At the time this is done the SUMMary screen is checked and the
voluming is reordered as appropriate.

Hope this helps you.

Terry Schiissler
SCHIISSL@UREGINA1 (BITNET) or SCHIISSL@MAX.CC.UREGINA.CA (INTERNET)