Test Drive: ScanEze Barcode scanner and security tag desensitizer/resensitizer

ScanEze
Barcode scanner and security tag desensitizer/resensitizer
ID Recall Systems, 1540 Pine Crest Drive, Grants Pass, OR 97528 (800) 779-5669 www.idrecall.com $4,950

We've all encountered this scenario: the class bell rings and suddenly there are a dozen students trying to check out library materials before rushing off to the next class. With ScanEze, a combination barcode scanner and security tag desensitizer/resensitizer, you can quickly get students on their way.

With the ScanEze workstation, barcodes are scanned and magnetic security strips desensitized in a single pass. To check out an item, simply pass it under the scanner in one direction: the barcode is read and the security tag desensitized. Then, pass the item under the scanner in the opposite direction, and the security tag is resensitized. ScanEze is a flexible system that can be programmed to read up to 14-digit barcodes.

Since the magnetic field extends only two inches beyond the workstation, items must actually touch it before passing from one end of the workstation to the other. If you use student aides, you'll want to make sure they do this procedure correctly. Colored lights on the workstation indicate that the materials are desensitized or resensitized.

The ScanEze workstation is made up of two components that are easily connected to your circulation computer. The first, a hefty magnetic desensitizer/resensitizer and barcode scanner, sits on the circulation desk. The scanner works with most types of barcodes, but the desensitizer/resensitizer will not work with radio-frequency-based systems, such as those made by Checkpoint. The second component, a small, wedge-shaped decoder, is stored conveniently out of the way.

Installation is fairly simple—all the required cables and adapters are included. An Allen wrench is used to secure the barcode scanner in place. The workstation comes with a 140-page manual, but the one-page cable-connection sheet and one-page operating instructions are all that you'll need.

At $4,950, the ScanEze workstation is a lot of loot. But it's an industrial-strength scanner that, in a single pass, performs multiple reads to verify the barcode and minimize misreads. The ScanEze will safely handle magnetic video and audio tapes. If you're looking for a quick, easy circulation and security solution, give the folks at ID Recall Systems a call.