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11-02-2017
New Features
Project Boxes
We’re very excited to announce that we have added the ability to use Project Boxes. This has been a long requested feature that was previously only available in the lesser known Eclipse Professional, mainly used by Schools Library Services.
What are Project Boxes?
Project Boxes are a collection of resources issued as one item. As such they can be thought of as a physical box that someone has put several books into. They are mainly used to issue a collection of related resources, so if say a school is carrying out a project on Romans they could ask their local SLS for a Project Box containing a number of books on Romans. The SLS then issues them a Project Box rather than having to keep track of potentially hundreds of separate items issued within it. This is very useful if they have common projects / collections that are often borrowed.
How do you add Project Boxes?
When adding a new resource we have changed the screen slightly to make space for the new Project Box option which now appears at the end of the list:
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Clicking on the option will open the New Project Box screen:
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From here customers can set the Box Number (barcode), Type and Item Capacity.
Types:
Permanent = Box stays in system forever.
Temporary = Box is deleted after it has been issued and returned.
Clicking Continue will open the record card:
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From here the normal fields can be filled in and the items can either be added using the Add button, or simply by scanning the barcodes while the record card is open.
As items are added a counter is available at the bottom to show the current number of items:
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Naturally the number of items cannot exceed the Item Capacity set for the box, so attempting to do this will prompt asking if you want to increase the capacity:
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Adding items to an already existing Project Box
You can also add items to a Project box from the main resources grid. To do this simply search for and then flag the items you would like to add and a new option Add to Project Box will appear over on the right.
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Clicking this will open the below screen with details of the items to add and allowing you to select an existing Project Box.
NOTE: It is not possible to add items to a new Project Box. The Project Box has to be created first to add items from the main grid.
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To add these items first click on Find. This will then display a list of all current Project Boxes in the system:
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Select one and a summary is then displayed showing the Project Boxes’ current number of items, capacity and how many new items you have selected to add.
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NOTE: Invalid items would list any items that cannot be added to a Project Box, such as virtual items.
If the number to be added exceeds the capacity it will ask if this should be increased:
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Clicking Yes will then add the items to the Project Box.
How do I know which items are already in a Project Box?
We have added another colour status to resources in the main grid. There are now 5 different status colours:
Black – Normal Item with no special status
Blue – Item is on loan
Red – Item is on loan and overdue
Green – Item is reserved
Orange – Item is part of a Project Box
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How do you issue Project Boxes?
Project Boxes are issued in exactly the same way as normal items. Simply scanning the Box Number will issue the item and list not only the Project Box but also all the items contained.
NOTE: Once an item is added to a Project Box it cannot be issued as an individual item until the item is removed from the box.
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How do you return Project Boxes?
Returning a Project Box is slightly different from normal items as customers may want to confirm that all the items are in the box that has been returned. As such when you scan the barcode, or select the item in Circulate and click Return, it will open the Project Box record card:
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From in here customers can then either:
1.Press Trusted to perform a trusted check in (this auto returns the items assuming all items are contained within it).
1.Manually check the items are returned by:
a.Selecting each item and clicking Check In
a.Scanning the barcodes of each item
a.Searching for items and then clicking Check In
For option 2 the system will automatically mark the Project Box as returned once all items have been checked off, and a message confirming this will appear.
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NOTE: You cannot return individual items from a Project Box in the main Circulate window. You have to return the Box.
How do you set restrictions for Project Boxes?
These are managed in exactly the same way as for all other resource types. Options have been added to the various areas that govern restrictions so they can be set as normal.
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05-04-2016
New Features
Encrypt Borrower Credentials
We’ve added an option to the Settings – General – Debug screen (hereafter called the Debug and Security screen). This new option allows customers to enable encryption of the user credentials (Borrower_LogonName and Borrower_Password fields) within the DB.
To enable this, log into Management, select Settings - General - Debug and Security, tick the Encrypt user credentials, then click on Apply encryption change:
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It then fires off a request to encrypt the data (there is no on-screen progress for this and the system can be used as normal while this completes). After it has finished the data in the DB will be encrypted:
Unticking the box and applying again will decrypt the data.
Notes:
·Active Directory LogonNames will not encrypt. If an account is AD linked it will just encrypt the password (if a separate one is stored).
·If logonnames are encrypted you can no longer perform advanced searches on this field, or display the unencrypted values in pageviews / reports.
26-06-2015
New Features
Setting multiple items as Missing
By popular demand we have added the ability to set multiple items as missing.
This works in a very similar way to returning / renewing multiple items through Management.
To start the process flag multiple records within Resources or Current Loans, this can be completed using the new Ctrl & Shift selection method or the Flag by Mouse option.
Once the required items are selected click on Missing and a new screen will come up. This shows the number of Resources selected and allows a Missing Reason to be entered:
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Clicking on OK will try to mark the items as missing and a summary screen will be displayed:
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If for any reason the system required more information (such as whether to return an on-loan item first, or charge a pupil for the replacement) this will be displayed in the summary screen:
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For these items a selection can be checked then custom actions applied using the Apply to Checked button, or the options can be applied to all using the Apply to All button. Clicking on either of these buttons will ask for confirmation that the selection is correct then show the Missing Details screen again with the options to Return Resource, Enter a Replacement Cost and enter a different Missing Reason (if required).
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Clicking OK will then try to apply those details against the selected record(s). Each time this is carried out the selected record(s) will be moved to the list of successfully marked as missing items, so different selections of items can be chosen and different missing reasons / etc applied for each selection. Or just clicking on Apply to All will apply the details against all the remaining records.
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22-05-2015
New Features
Multi Select in grids using Ctrl and Shift
The ability to select multiple records from the grid using Shift and Control has been added back into the system in the following areas:
Management:
·Main Grids (Resources, Borrowers, Tutor Groups, Past Loans, Current Loans, Reservations, Statements, Reviews, News, Intake, etc).
·Resources – Linked Items
·Reading Lists – Individual – Target – Borrowers
·Reading Lists – Items
·Wish List – Add
·Book of the Week - Add
·Stockcheck – All Grids
·Settings – Restrictions – Borrowers – Members – Add Borrowers & Add Tutor Group
Circulate:
·Main Grids (Current Loans, Multi Return).
·Current Loans – Find
·Reservations – Find
·Multi Return – Find
How does it work?
Pressing Shift and clicking on some records, or holding Ctrl and clicking on some records (or both) will now highlight the rows and automatically disable the row preview. After a second or two the Show Flagged Only option will enable to allow for those records to be chosen or the function required (Remove, Delete, Restore, Renew, Return) can be clicked on as normal to carry it out.
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24-04-2015
New Features
iMLS - Support added for Windows Phone 8.1, Windows Tablet and Windows 8.1 PCs
A new version of the iMLS app is now available on the applicable app stores for Windows Phone 8.1, Windows Tablets and Windows 8.1 PCs.
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Windows 8.1 tablets and PCs - Click here
Windows 8.1 Phones - Click here
Dashboard - iMLS Login statistics
The Dashboard now has a section showing iMLS login statistics (similar to the library logins statistics). This shows how many unique users have accessed the library through iMLS (Android, Apple iOS, Windows Phone).
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06-02-2015
New Features
Eclipse.net - Front Page - Added ability to renew their own loans.
The ability for borrowers to renew their own loans have been added back into the Eclipse.net system.
NOTE: Borrowers are only allowed to renew items that are not already overdue.
As per ASPX this relies on the restriction option “Allow borrowers to renew loans in My Account” being enabled in Management - Settings - Restrictions:
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Once this is enabled (and saved) clicking on a book from ‘My Account – Current Loans’ will open the centre box with an additional icon ‘Renew’:
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Clicking on the icon will prompt for confirmation that they want to renew the loan:
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And it will then either renew or throw up a reason why it couldn’t renew:
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Eclipse.net - Front Page - Added ability to reopen eBooks from My Account
Borrowers can now reopen eBooks they have checked out from the My Account section.
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This is completed by clicking on Current Loans and then clicking on the eBook in the list:
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The normal Overdrive prompt will then launch allowing them to download or open the eBook in the browser.
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Reading Cloud Settings (Word of the Day, Fact of the Day, Featured Author, Star Review)
Customers can now choose their own:
·Word of the Day
·Fact of the Day
·Featured Author
·Star Review
Like all other Reading Cloud settings this is controlled from Management – Settings – Module Settings – Reading Cloud Settings:
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Word of the Day:
Click on Change to edit the current list of items.
This will open the below screen where the following options can be used:
·Add – Add a new item
·Activate – Set item as the active item
·Delete – Delete the item
·Up – Move item up list
·Down – Move item down list
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Clicking on Add will open the following screen:
Item = Title of the Word of the Day
Description = Description that appears for the word.
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Fact of the Day:
Click on Change to edit the current list of items.
This will open the below screen where the following options can be used:
·Add – Add a new item
·Activate – Set item as the active item
·Delete – Delete the item
·Up – Move item up list
·Down – Move item down list
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Clicking on Add will open the following screen:
Item = Title for the Fact of the Day.
Description = Description that appears for the Fact.
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Featured Author:
Click on Change to edit the current list of items.
This will open the below screen where the following options can be used:
·Add – Add a new item
·Activate – Set item as the active item
·Delete – Delete the item
·Up – Move item up list
·Down – Move item down list
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Clicking on Add will open the following screen:
This shows a list of all selectable authors ordered by surname, forename.
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Star Review:
Click on Change to edit the current list of items.
This will open the below screen where the following options can be used:
·Add – Add a new item
·Activate – Set item as the active item
·Delete – Delete the item
·Up – Move item up list
·Down – Move item down list
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Clicking on Add will open the following screen:
This is a list of all Approved reviews ordered by date added. Currently there is no way to read the review from inside this screen so you need to know which / whose reviews you are adding before trying to add them.
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15-10-2014
New Features
Support added for Peters / Browns eBook import
An option has been added to allow the import of eBook MARC files purchased from Peters or Browns.
This requires an additional 'eBooks Integration module', for details on purchasing this please contact your Sales Account Manager.
Once that has been added to an account it adds extra import options to the import screen.
e.g.
Management – Resources – Tools – Import…
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Two extra options will then appear:
·Peters eBook Marc
·Browns eBook Marc
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To import click on the applicable one and then upload the file supplied by Peters / Browns as normal.
14-10-2014
New Features
Video Reviews
Compatibility for video reviews has been added to Eclipse.net and Junior.net Classic.
Once a video review has been created, either through the iMLS mobile application or via the new Reading Cloud interface it will appear as a review in the review table awaiting approval. When the review is opened it will automatically try to work out the correct orientation of the video and allow it to be previewed via the blue buttons at the bottom of the review:
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To approve the review just click the Approved box as normal.
Once approved the review can be viewed through the normal Eclipse.net or Junior.net Classic interfaces.
Eclipse.net
To view a review search for the item that has been reviewed.
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Click on the Read Reviews option in the bottom right.
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Then click on the review. If it's a written review it will open the review to be read, if it's a video review it will play the review in the bottom right box:
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Junior.net Classic
To view a review search for the item that has been reviewed.
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Click on the Read Reviews option in the bottom right.
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Then click on the review. If it's a written review it will open the review to be read, if it's a video review it will play the review in the movie clapper box:
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Reading Lists
Note: Reading Lists is a feature that is only available through the Reading Cloud. As such while any users can create Reading Lists in Management they can only be accessed if you are using the Reading Cloud. For more information on Reading Cloud please click here, or contact your MLS Account Manager to request a free 30-day trial (Hosted users only).
Librarians and Teachers can now create Reading Lists which can be pushed out to specific Years / Tutor Groups / Subjects / Pupils and these lists can then be seen through Reading Cloud. Pupils can also create their own Reading Lists through the Reading Cloud interface.
On the Tools Menu a new option has been added Reading Lists:
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Clicking on this option will open the below screen where Reading Lists can be created:
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Clicking New will open the New Reading List screen:
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Name = Names of the list as it will appear in the rest of the system.
Description = A description shown on the Reading Cloud for the list.
Items = The Add button will open the find resources screen used in all other areas so resources can be added to the list.
There are 4 types of lists that can be created:
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1.Personal – Personal lists that are directly assigned to pupils. Personal lists will have the below options on the target tab, which opens the normal ‘find borrower’ screen to select borrowers.
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2.Subject – A list of items that are assigned to a subject / subjects. All pupils who are taking that subject then inherit this list. The target tab will have the below options to assign subjects to the list.
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3.Tutor Group – A list of items assigned to all members of a tutor group. The target tab allows the selection of groups, the lists are then inherited by members of these groups.
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4.Year Group – Lists assigned to members of specific years. The target tab allows the selection of years, the lists are then inherited by members of these years.
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Once setup these lists can be selected and setup against borrowers from the Borrower record card on a new tab called ‘other’:
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Subjects = Area where you can assign subjects to a pupil / create subjects.
Reading List = Will show all reading lists that are available to assign to that pupil. Selected lists may show some greyed out lists (e.g. Year 6 above) these are lists that are inherited because of the year / tutor group / subject the borrower is in, as such they cannot be removed manually.
Subjects can be added from the Borrower – Other tab or through the Lookup Maintenance – Subjects area:
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Pupils:
Pupils can create a reading list by opening any book / resource in the library. They will then see a new button Add to List:
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Clicking on Add to List will open the below screen where they can choose to add the book to an existing list or create a new one (by typing in a name for it):
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At the top of the screen, in the main bar, is a new option My Reading List:
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Clicking on this will open a page showing the Reading Lists available to that person:
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They can then click on the book jacket to open that book’s page, or click on the Reading List name to open the full list:
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05-06-2014
New Features
MLS Advantage Expiry Warning
The news feature will now display a message if the MLS Advantage subscription is about to expire (within 30 days):
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15-05-2014
New Features
AR Quiz - Take Quiz
By popular demand we have reintroduced a direct link to the AR Quiz, allowing students to click on a resource and be sent straight to the AR Quiz website.
A new option ‘Settings – Module Settings – AR Settings’ has been added:
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When opened it will ask for the Customer ID for AR:
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Once this has been entered the AR popup will include an extra option ‘Take Quiz’ which children can click on to be taken straight to the AR Quiz:
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How to find out your Renaissance Place Customer ID:
Open Renaissance Place for the school in question and go to the login screen (as below).
In the bottom right it will list the ID (e.g. in the below example = AAAA-12AA):
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31-01-2014
New Features
Junior Classic - Reservation Printing
By popular demand after returning a book in Junior.net Classic Circulate the system can now prompt if there is a reservation for that book and ask if the reservation slip should be printed. To enable this a setting has been added to the Management - Settings – General area called Allow Junior Reservation Printing:
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When this is enabled (and Enable Auto Returns is enabled) upon returning a book the system will show the Returned message for X seconds then show the below prompt to print a reservation slip:
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This then opens the reservation slip in a PDF viewer to then be printed.
Changed Features
Tutor Group – Link Form Tutor
When you link a borrower to a tutor group it now greys out the Tutor and Email boxes (to show they are not editable). An X button has also been added to clear this link.
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Restrictions - Enable / Disable
The UI for restriction areas have been altered slightly to try and make it clearer when a restriction is active.
Now all restrictions areas have an icon next to them to Enable / Disable the restriction.
When enabled they are editable and have a ‘Disable Restriction’ next to them. When disabled they are greyed out and have an ‘Enable Restriction’ icon next to them.
e.g.
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10-01-2014
New Features
Overdrive - Free Trial
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MLS have teamed up with Overdrive to provide a trial of their eBooks system. The trial includes 1500 eBooks and other online content, consisting of many free titles as well as including some premium books (e.g. Harry Potter).
To enable the trial please use the below instructions.
Select Settings – Module Settings – Overdrive Settings:
This will open the below screen:
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To enable the free trial click the ‘Enable Trial’ option, then select from the Trial Collection options:
- All = All eBooks
- Secondary = eBooks appropriate for secondary school pupils
- Primary = eBooks appropriate for primary school pupils
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When OK is pressed the system will then import the free sample of eBooks into the library system.
NOTE: This may take a few minutes and the library system may be slow to respond during this process. As a result we suggest it is carried out at the end of the day.
Once they have been imported, searching for and then clicking on a resource will open a new tab / window allowing the borrower to checkout the resource:
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The borrower is then presented with the option to download or open the eBook. If the eBook is already checked out a message is shown advising this.
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When using the free trial only 100 eBooks can be checked out at any time, limits on how many eBooks individual borrowers can checkout are handled through the normal restrictions system.
Items on loan will display in the Borrowers Current Loans, but cannot be renewed / returned through the library system. They are automatically returned after 7 days.
Planet eStream
http://www.planetestream.co.uk/
Support has been added for Planet eStream. Planet eStream is a powerful and scalable video delivery platform. It enables any organisation to create a central archive of digital media content and deliver the content to unlimited users via their existing intranet infrastructure and/or via the world wide web.
For users with a subscription to Planet eStream the video links can be imported using the below guide:
Open Management and then select Tools - Import...
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On the import screen select Planet eStream:
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Click on Upload then select the CSV file containing the Planet eStream links:
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The file will then upload, once uploaded the Import button will become available. Click Import to add the links to the library system.
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The Planet eStream links will then appear in searches from the Library Search interface, clicking on the image for a link will open the link.
15-11-2013
New Features
Behind the Bookshelf
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A new set of videos are now available ‘Behind the Bookshelf’ these are similar to the ‘Meet the Author’ series of videos and contain authors talking about their books / authors talking about the influences for their books. When the Discovery Online task next runs any applicable books will link with these new videos (the same as how Meet the Author works). Once they have linked they will be available through the Author’s Corner / Meet the Author button on the book record.
Click here for full release notes...
Click here for Video Tutorials...
10-10-2013
New Features
Catalogue Enrichment added
When looking at search results in the Library Search interfaces a new option has been added to the resource records 'More Info' .png){kind=small}
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This option will open a new tab / window with extra information about the resource including:
Summary - The Book Summary
Reviews - Reviews from publishers / journals
About the Author - Information about the author
First Chapter - The first chapter of the book to preview (Note: Due to copyright this is not available for every book)
Example:
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To access from Eclipse.net:
Search for a resource and then hover over the record:
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At the bottom select the 'More info' button:
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To access from Junior.net:
Search for a resource and then open the record:
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At the bottom select the 'More info' button:
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Wish List
A new option has been added to the Tools menu 'Wish List':
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This opens up a simple screen to show items requested by students (through iMLS **Coming Soon**) and items requested by library administrators (through Management):
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It has four options:
Current Copies = Copies of the book in the library
Add = Manually select an item in the database to add
Add to Basket = Add item to the basket list
Go to Basket - See below
Clicking ‘Add to basket’ will add the item to a list of basket items and change the button to say ‘Remove’:
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The count of the ‘Basket’ button will increase each time an item is added, clicking on ‘Go to basket’ will then launch the Peter’s bookshop and automatically select the items in the basket list (assuming they are for sale within Peter’s bookshop):
It can also be ordered by the most recent additions or the most popular requests. Hovering over an item will show the full title and ISBN number.
How to add items:
There are two other ways to add items via the Management interface (and these will come under the ‘Librarian Requests’ column).
1. Right clicking on the row template and selecting ‘Add to Wish List’:
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2, From the Dashboard - Community Stats:
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Disable System News / Tips Page
An options has been added to the 'Settings - General - Settings' page to allow customers to turn off the system news / tips pages that appear when opening Management:
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