Alice barcodes are of type Code 39. They consist of a letter prefix (R for resources, 
B for borrowers) followed by a 5 digit unique numeric, an alpha check character, and 
finally a four digit library code.

Eg B00001K0133

The algorithm for generating the check character from the 5 digit code is:

1. Sum the digits of the 5 digit numeric
2. Divide sum by 11
3. Calculate remainder
4. Substitute this remainder by an alpha characters:

1=K
2=L
3=M
4=N
5=P
6=F
7=W
8=X
9=Y
0=J
10=A

eg for B12345 0133

sum=15
remainder=4
check char=N
so code is: B12345N
library code is 0133, so complete alice code is B12345N0133

Sample program

The BASIC progam below allows the user to create a text file containing
a sequence of Alice barcodes. See the REM statements for details.

DLTechnology
July 1997 


REM Alice barcodes are Code 39 type, but use a non-standard pattern
REM for the check digit. This wizard will create a text file of codes
REM which may be imported into dLabel or dIndex to create Alice barcodes
REM when the Code type within dLabel or dIndex is set to Code 39.
start: CLS
PRINT "Alice barcode wizard for dLabel and dIndex"
PRINT
PRINT "Alice barcodes consist of a prefix letter, followed by a 5 digit"
PRINT "number, followed by a check character (calculated by this wizard)"
PRINT "followed by a four digit library code"
PRINT
INPUT "Enter Prefix letter then press <Enter>"; pf$
IF LEN(pf$) <> 1 THEN
        INPUT "invalid Prefix letter - press a key to restart", xx$
        GOTO start
        END IF
start2: INPUT "Enter 5 digit start of sequence value"; sq$
IF LEN(sq$) <> 5 THEN
        INPUT "invalid 5 digit start of sequence - press a key to restart", xx$
        GOTO start2
        END IF
start3: INPUT "Enter 4 digit final code"; fc$
IF LEN(fc$) <> 4 THEN
        INPUT "invalid 4 digit final code - press a key to restart", xx$
        GOTO start3
        END IF
PRINT
INPUT "full pathname of file to contain codes"; filn$
REM
REM check length of strings
INPUT "Number of codes required "; n
REM open file
OPEN filn$ FOR OUTPUT AS #1
REM  start sequence loop
istart = VAL(sq$)
FOR i = 0 TO n - 1
        ino = istart + i
        istr$ = RIGHT$("00000" + MID$(STR$(ino), 2), 5)'string for sequence
        x = 0
        FOR j = 1 TO 5
                x = x + VAL(MID$(istr$, j, 1))
                NEXT j
        y = x MOD 11
        IF y = 0 THEN
               ch$ = "J"
        ELSE
                ch$ = MID$("KLMNPFWXYA", y, 1)
        END IF
        code$ = pf$ + istr$ + ch$ + fc$
        PRINT #1, code$
NEXT i
CLOSE #1
PRINT
PRINT "File "; filn$; " created - use FILE IMPORT in dLabel or dIndex to import the data"
PRINT "Select 'Spreadsheet' as the file type"

END