In most cases, reader classes in educational libraries can be updated using the Import Readers system. When an export file is generated from the central administration system of the educational establishment, both new and old students usually possess their current tutor group or class.
Sometimes however, it is more convenient to move the readership classes manually - especially if the academic year start is late in regards to computer systems update, or your educational establishment has mid-year class progressions in readiness for a new intake.
The [Reader Group Update] facility provides a means to deal with this situation, allowing new classes to be locked in for readers as and when they are available and which can then be 'triggered' at the most appropriate time.
Movements are created within a Project - multiple projects can be created to deal with different situations over time, or perhaps a year group, or a single project for the entire organisation. How you decide to plan the projects is at your own discretion and preference.
Click [Create] to create a new project in the drop-down list, or select and existing project from the list to work on.
Once a valid project is selected, the two list boxes will display the readers in their current groups in the left-hand list, and the destination group in the right-hand list (labelled [Move to:]).
Initially, only the left-hand group will contain readers - the right-hand group will contain only empty group placeholders.
To move a reader or an entire group of readers, first select the group in the right-hand ([Move To:]) list that will be the destination. Next, select all of the readers in the left-hand group that you wish to move on this occasion1).
Once selected, use the [>] button to 'move' the readers into the selected destination group. Note that in reality, the reader is moved into the new group only within this project. In reality they will remain in their current group until the project of [Executed] (see below), which may be the same day but also be weeks or months later.
If the reader(s) have been moved to the incorrect group, they can be selected and removed by using the [<] button. In this case however, no destination group needs to be selected - the reader will simply return to their current group.
If the reader(s) has been moved into the wrong destination group, they can moved into the correct group in a similar way as above. Select the Destination Group in the list, then each of the readers which need to be moved (not selecting a second group). Click the [↑] button to move the readers to the new group.
If a destination group is required which does not currently exist, it can be created using the [New Group] button. If created in error, it can be removed using the [Remove Group] button (existing groups can not be removed in this way).
The newly created group can be used as destinations into which readers can be moved.
As with the new destination allocations, the new group only exists within the project. It is not created within the database until the project is [Executed] (see below).
Occasionally, click the [Update] toolbar icon to save the current state of the project into the database.
Note that updating the project only saves the project contents - it does not execute the changes.
Once all of the changes required have been completed and the project has been saved at least once into the database, the project can be [Executed].
Executing the project applies the changes described by the project live in the database. All new groups are created, and all reader movements are made.
If a project is no longer required, select the project in the drop-down pick-list then click [Remove] to remove the project from the database.
Note that a project is removed automatically once executed, and does not need to be manually removed.