You can convert normal text into barcodes using Code 39 or Extended Code 39.
Code 39 is an alphanumeric bar code. It can encode numbers 0-9, the uppercase alphabet A-Z, Space, and some symbols ( - . * $ / % + ).
If you need lowercase letters, there is also an Extended Code 39 that encodes the 128-character ASCII character set by pairing existing Code 39 characters.