What information can be updated with a patron import file?
Patron imports can be used to change any field in patron records except for the Barcode field.
FAQ
How do I prepare the patron records for the next year? I need to remove the students who graduated.
You should consider advancing patron grades even if you update the students each year with an import file. Advancing your last grade to “Graduated” will allow you to remove students who have moved on to bright futures. Don’t worry, you will be able to keep records for any who have outstanding material or account balances. Read about End-of -Year procedures and call Customer Support at 1-800-347-4942 if you need help with your Patron Grade Table or running utilities.
Over the summer our IT department wants to add or re-add the Chromebooks and iPads to our catalog. What are the recommended methods of doing this correctly?
If you have used Alexandria or Textbook Tracker to catalog non-book items such as laptops, chargers and other technology it is a good idea to use a specific item policy or policies to manage them. In most cases you will want a title record for something like a Chromebook to include all of the copies instead of 1/1 with titles/copies.
If you are using an import file, you will need to create a title record with an ISBN first so the import setting “Title update matching” works for title and ISBN/LCCN.
Read Best Practices for Cataloging to learn how to catalog equipment in Alexandria.
If you have any questions please call Customer Support at 1-800-347-4942 to get help with importing files.
Where can I get more information on the Alexandria Best Practices for Patrons?
Oh man! We have a great workshop for you.
You can also take a look at our Best Practice articles.
Are there more training workshops that I can view?
Check out our YouTube channel!
How can I modify my Grade Table?
Change your Grade Table in Preferences. You’ll want to check Authority Control as well to make sure your grades are consistent. Please learn more about modifying your Grade Table in Patron Preferences.
How do I remove old Homerooms from my Homeroom list?
Once there are no patrons listed in a homeroom anymore, the homeroom is removed. So, updating the homerooms manually, via import, or through Authority Control will remove any homerooms with no patrons. Contact Support for additional assistance.
How do security groups limit access?
Each level has the access of all the groups below them, but does not have access to any security groups on the same level or above them. See Security for additional information.
How do I update Patron records with a file on my computer?
- First, make sure the file is tab-delimited (not a csv file).
- Make sure you have a way to match the patron information with the info in the file, such as barcode, RSN (Record Sequence Number), GUID (Gobally Unique Identifier), Government ID (SSN), Community ID (Student #), or Primary Email, First Name, and Last Name (all 3).
- See Patron Imports Best Practices for more information.
Where can I find counts and how many Patrons/Items am I licensed for?
To find your license and system information, go to the help menu in the topnav and click About Alexandria. This will show you your patron/item count and how many you have left in your license.