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Taking Over an Existing ePlatform Library

If you are taking over responsibility for an existing ePlatform library, use this guide to understand how the library is currently configured and identify any details that need to be updated.

Review the existing settings before making changes, particularly authentication connections, Patron Management Settings, content restrictions, and Library Management System integrations.

About the navigation in this guide: Paths such as Admin area → Patrons show where to find a feature after signing in to your library's ePlatform portal.

On this page

Before you begin

Gather any information available from the previous administrator, librarian, or IT contact, including:

  • the library's ePlatform web address;
  • administrator login information;
  • the names of the current library and billing contacts;
  • information about how students and staff log in;
  • details of any SSO, LDAP, SIP2, API, or Library Management System connection;
  • information about regular patron imports or updates; and
  • one or more patron accounts that can be used for testing.

Do not include passwords, API secrets, or other sensitive credentials in a general handover document.

1. Confirm your administrator access

  1. Open your library's ePlatform portal.
  2. Log in using an administrator account.
  3. Confirm that you can open the Admin area.
  4. Confirm that the Admin sidebar and Quick Guides & Links panel are displayed.
  5. Open Admin Help & FAQs and confirm that you can access the administrator documentation.

If you cannot open the Admin area, contact the previous administrator or ePlatform Support before continuing.

2. Review contacts, plans, and invoices

Review the contact details currently recorded for the library and update them if responsibilities have changed.

  • Library contact: Admin area → Manage Library → Global Site Settings → Contact Settings.
  • Billing contacts: Admin area → View Plans, Billing Contacts and Invoices → Billing Contacts.
  • Subscription plans and invoices: Admin area → View Plans, Billing Contacts and Invoices.

Confirm which staff members should receive library communications, billing information, invoices, and support messages.

3. Identify how patrons log in

Before changing patron accounts, determine how students and staff currently log in to ePlatform.

The authentication options documented for ePlatform include:

  • Manually managed patron accounts (e.g. Bulk File Upload);
  • Single Sign-On (SSO);
  • LDAP; and
  • SIP2.

Manually managed patron accounts

Go to Admin area → Patrons to review the patron accounts recorded in the library.

Individual patrons can be managed from the Patrons page. Multiple records can be added or updated from Admin area → Patrons → Import / Update Patrons.

SSO, LDAP, or SIP2

If the library uses a connected authentication method, identify the staff member or IT team responsible for it.

Record which method is being used and who manages:

  • the identity provider or Library Management System;
  • SSO attribute or claim mappings;
  • server and endpoint details;
  • firewall access; and
  • changes to the authentication connection.

Do not change an existing authentication connection without first confirming the current configuration with your IT team and ePlatform Support.

For more information, see:

Review SSO changes

An ordinary SSO certificate renewal generally does not require an ePlatform change when the authentication URI and Entity ID remain the same.

Contact ePlatform Support before changing the authentication URI, Entity ID, or identity provider.

For more information, see Updating Your SSO Certificate or Identity Provider Details.

4. Review patrons and Patron Management Settings

Review patrons

  1. Go to Admin area → Patrons.
  2. Review the patron records and account statuses shown.
  3. Check whether the library records information such as role, year level, or date of birth.
  4. Identify whether patron records are managed manually or supplied through an authentication connection.

If patron records are maintained using a spreadsheet, ask the previous administrator how often the file is updated and where the source information comes from.

If patrons log in through SSO, their accounts can be created or updated using data sent by the identity provider. Year-level information will only be populated through SSO if the required attribute is included and configured.

Review Patron Management Settings

Go to Admin area → Patron Management Settings.

Review the settings currently used for:

  • year-level rollover;
  • disabling inactive patrons;
  • permanently deleting disabled patrons; and
  • disabled and deleted patron logs.

Before changing or saving these settings, review the number of affected patrons displayed on the page. Confirm that the proposed change will not disable or delete active students or staff.

5. Review the catalogue, restrictions, and loan period

Library Catalogue

Go to Admin area → Manage Library → Library Catalogue to review the titles available through your library.

Age and year-level restrictions

Review whether your library restricts titles using patron age or year-level information.

  • Restrict by year level: Admin area → Restrict Titles by Age or Year Level → Restrict by Year Level.
  • Restrict by age: Admin area → Restrict Titles by Age or Year Level → Restrict by Age.

Age restrictions require date-of-birth information to be supplied through the patron data or authentication method.

Year-level restrictions require year-level information to be supplied through the patron data or authentication method.

For more information, see Restricting Titles by Age or Year Level.

Loan period

Go to Admin area → Manage Library → Global Site Settings → Loan Period to review the current loan-period setting.

The loan-period setting applies across the digital collection rather than to individual titles.

For more information, see Managing Loan Periods and Loan Limits.

6. Review your Library Management System connection

If ePlatform titles are displayed in an external Library Management System, identify how the title records are being supplied.

The repository documentation describes two approaches:

  • Live catalogue integration: a supported API supplies current catalogue information.
  • MARC records: title records are exported from ePlatform and imported into the Library Management System.

Manual MARC records are static and do not update automatically. Ask the previous administrator when the records were last exported and how expired or removed titles are handled in the external catalogue.

If a live API is used, identify the Library Management System, the staff member responsible for the connection, and the process used to report connection problems.

Do not include API secrets or other connection credentials in a general handover document.

For more information, see:

7. Review classes and book assignments

If your school uses ePlatform classes, review the classes and assignments currently recorded.

  • Classes: Admin area → Manage Classes → Add Classes.
  • Book assignments: Admin area → Manage Classes → Assign Books.

Review:

  • the classes currently listed;
  • the teachers and students included in each class;
  • existing book assignments; and
  • whether any previous classes or assignments still need to remain available.

Review the existing setup before changing or removing a class or book assignment.

For more information, see Creating and Managing Classes and Assigning Books to Students.

8. Review the library homepage

Review the branding, homepage content, and notices currently shown to students and staff.

  • Banner, logo, and theme: Admin area → Customise Library Homepage & Compilation → Banner, Logo & Theme.
  • Homepage compilations: Admin area → Customise Library Homepage & Compilation → Library Homepage & Compilation.
  • Site notice: Admin area → Manage Library → Creating and Updating a Site Notice.

Check whether:

  • the banner, logo, and theme still reflect the school or library;
  • homepage compilations remain relevant;
  • featured titles are appropriate for the intended audience; and
  • the site notice contains current information.

For more information, see:

9. Review recent library activity

Go to Admin area → View Analytics & Reports → Analytics Overview.

The Analytics Overview includes information about:

  • total loans;
  • total reserves;
  • active patrons;
  • active titles;
  • borrowing trends; and
  • how patrons are accessing ePlatform.

Use the available date filters to review recent activity and understand how the library has been used.

For more information, see Viewing Usage Analytics.

10. Test the student experience

Use a test patron account to check the existing library configuration before making major changes.

  1. Open the library's ePlatform website or add the library in the mobile app.
  2. Log in using the method currently provided to students.
  3. Confirm that the correct library is displayed.
  4. Confirm that the expected titles are visible.
  5. Search for and borrow an available eBook.
  6. Open the eBook and confirm that reading begins.
  7. Search for and borrow an available Audiobook.
  8. Play the Audiobook and confirm that playback begins.
  9. Open My Loans and confirm that the borrowed titles are displayed.
  10. If the library uses age or year-level restrictions, repeat the test using appropriate test accounts.
  11. If the library uses SSO, test the existing SSO login.
  12. If titles appear in an external catalogue, open an ePlatform title from that catalogue and confirm that its link works.

If a test fails, record the affected account, device or browser, navigation path, and exact error message. Do not record or send the patron's password.

Record the library configuration

Keep an internal record of the information you confirmed during the review, including:

  • the ePlatform portal address;
  • the library and billing contacts;
  • the authentication method currently in use;
  • the staff or IT contact responsible for authentication;
  • how patrons are added or updated;
  • the current Patron Management Settings;
  • whether age or year-level restrictions are used;
  • the Library Management System and catalogue connection method;
  • whether classes and book assignments are used; and
  • any regular administration tasks completed during the school year.

Store passwords, API secrets, and other sensitive credentials only in your organisation's approved secure system.

Training and support

Open Admin Help & FAQs from the Admin area to search administrator documentation or submit a support request.

When requesting technical assistance, include:

  • your school or library name;
  • your ePlatform portal address;
  • the affected feature or connection;
  • the navigation path you followed;
  • the device or browser used; and
  • the exact error message displayed.

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