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Input methods: camera, scanner or keyboard?

BibliOfelia is designed to work with or without specific hardware. Choose the mode that fits your equipment.

The browser camera (no hardware)

Every Scan button on the site opens the camera of your device (phone, tablet, webcam) — no app to install. This is the default mode for scanning books and cards.

Advantages:

  • Nothing to install or plug in
  • Works on phone and tablet, while moving through the stacks
  • Continuous mode for inventory and cataloguing (scanning in a row)

Limitation: requires a secure (https://) connection. See Scanning with the camera for details.

A USB barcode scanner plugged into your workstation behaves like a keyboard: it types the barcode contents and presses Enter automatically. This is the fastest, least tiring mode.

Advantages:

  • Instant action (less than 1 second per scan)
  • No hand fatigue
  • Works on any page with an input field

Limitation: the scanner must be plugged into the workstation you're using.

OfeliaScan (mobile app, as a complement)

OfeliaScan is the Android companion app for BibliOfelia. It remains useful as a mobile complement, in particular for sending large batches of cataloguing or inventory.

Advantages:

  • A dedicated app, for those who prefer it to the browser camera
  • Sending whole batches to BibliOfelia

Limitations:

The keyboard (always available)

On every page with an input field, you can type the code manually and press Enter or click the Validate button next to it.

When to use it:

  • No scanner connected
  • The barcode is damaged or poorly printed
  • You need to type a code you wrote down by hand

Tip

On the Lend and Return pages, the cursor automatically moves to the right field after each scan or validation. You never need to click manually to move to the next book.

Searching by name instead of barcode

If you don't have the member's card or the book in hand, use the global search at the top of every page: type the member's name or a word from the title, and BibliOfelia takes you directly to the right page.