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Preparing ePlatform for a New School Year

Review your ePlatform library before the start of each school year so patron records, login information, classes, restrictions, homepage content, contacts, and connected systems remain current.

This guide covers both manually managed patron accounts and schools using SSO or another authentication connection. Follow the sections that apply to your library's configuration.

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

On this page

Before you begin

Confirm that you have:

  • administrator access to your library's ePlatform portal;
  • the patron data used to prepare manual account updates, if applicable;
  • an IT contact if your school uses SSO, LDAP, SIP2, or another authentication connection;
  • information about your Library Management System connection, if applicable;
  • details of any changes to library or billing contacts; and
  • two or three patron accounts that can be used for testing.

If your library uses age or year-level restrictions, prepare test accounts with different ages or year levels.

1. Confirm how patron accounts are managed

Before updating patron records, confirm how students and staff currently log in to ePlatform.

Manually managed accounts

Manually managed patrons are added individually or updated using the Import / Update Patrons tool.

  • Add one patron: Admin area → Patrons → Add Patron.
  • Add or update multiple patrons: Admin area → Patrons → Import / Update Patrons.

Connected authentication

Your school may connect ePlatform to an existing authentication system.

Authentication options documented for ePlatform include:

  • Single Sign-On (SSO);
  • LDAP; and
  • SIP2.

Work with your IT team and ePlatform Support before changing an existing authentication connection.

For more information, see:

2. Review patron records

  1. Go to Admin area → Patrons.
  2. Review the active, disabled, and recently added patrons shown.
  3. Review patron roles and account statuses.
  4. Check whether year-level or date-of-birth information is recorded if your library uses content restrictions.
  5. Identify students and staff who have left the organisation.
  6. Identify new students and staff who may need access.

Do not delete or disable patron records until you have reviewed the library's Patron Management Settings and confirmed how those records are maintained.

3. Import or update manually managed patrons

Follow this section if your library manages patron accounts manually.

  1. Go to Admin area → Patrons → Import / Update Patrons.
  2. Download the current sample template from the import page.
  3. Prepare the new or updated patron information.
  4. Confirm that the required barcode or username information is included.
  5. Include year-level or date-of-birth information if your library uses the corresponding content restrictions.
  6. Upload a small number of records first and review the result.
  7. When the test update is correct, prepare the remaining patron updates.
  8. Return to Admin area → Patrons to review the updated records.

Use your organisation's approved process for handling patron information. Do not send patron passwords or sensitive data through an unsecured channel.

4. Review SSO and patron information

Follow this section if your school uses Single Sign-On.

When a patron logs in using SSO, their ePlatform account can be created or updated using information sent by the identity provider.

Test the SSO login

  1. Open your library's ePlatform portal.
  2. Select the SSO login option used by your school.
  3. Log in using a current test account.
  4. Confirm that ePlatform opens successfully.
  5. Review the resulting patron record in Admin area → Patrons.

Review year-level or form-class information

ePlatform can only record year-level or form-class information through SSO when the required attribute or claim is supplied and configured.

If the SSO connection only sends basic information such as name, email, and username or barcode, the patron account may be created without a year level.

If year-level information is missing:

  • ask your IT team to review the SSO attribute or claim mapping; or
  • use Admin area → Patrons → Import / Update Patrons to populate the Year Level field where appropriate.

For more information, see Syncing Form, Class and Year-Level Information with SSO.

Review SSO certificate 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 SSO authentication URI or endpoint;
  • the Entity ID or issuer; or
  • the identity provider.

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

5. Review Patron Management Settings

Go to Admin area → Patron Management Settings.

Review the settings currently used for:

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

Before saving a change: Review the number of affected patrons displayed on the page. Confirm that the settings match your organisation's policies and will not disable or delete active students or staff.

Do not change the rollover, disable, or deletion settings until you understand how the library currently maintains its patron records.

6. Review classes and book assignments

If your school uses ePlatform classes, review the classes and assignments recorded from the previous school year.

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

Review:

  • existing class names;
  • the teachers and students included in each class;
  • classes required for the new school year;
  • classes that are no longer required;
  • current book assignments; and
  • assignments that should not continue into the new school year.

Review the current setup before changing or removing a class or assignment.

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

7. Review 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.

Review whether:

  • the required patron information is available;
  • existing restrictions still reflect the school's policies; and
  • the restrictions work correctly for students who have moved to a new year level.

Test the restrictions using appropriate accounts before students begin borrowing.

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

8. Refresh the library homepage

Review the branding, compilations, and notices displayed 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 for:

  • outdated welcome messages or announcements;
  • expired event or holiday information;
  • compilations that are no longer relevant;
  • curriculum or reading lists that need to be updated;
  • new titles that should be featured; and
  • changes to the school's banner, logo, or branding.

For detailed instructions, see:

Prepare new-school-year promotion

Ready-made promotional resources are available from Admin area → Library → Promotional Materials.

These resources include posters, bookmarks, digital banners, social media images, letter templates, awards, logos, and video tutorials.

For additional ideas, see Promotion Strategies.

9. Review your Library Management System connection

If ePlatform titles appear in an external Library Management System, review how the title records are supplied.

Live catalogue integration

If your Library Management System uses a supported live API, confirm who is responsible for the connection and test an ePlatform title link from the external catalogue.

MARC records

Manual MARC records are static and do not update automatically.

If your school uses manual MARC records:

  • confirm when the records were last exported;
  • review whether new ePlatform titles need to be added to the external catalogue;
  • review whether removed or expired titles still appear in the external catalogue; and
  • test a small number of title links before completing a larger update.

For more information, see:

10. Review plans, contacts, and invoices

Review the library and billing information currently recorded in ePlatform.

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

Review:

  • the active subscription plans;
  • the current library contact;
  • the staff members listed as billing contacts;
  • invoices and payment history; and
  • who should receive library, plan, and billing communications.

Update the relevant contact information if staff responsibilities have changed.

11. Test the student experience

Complete the following tests before students begin using ePlatform for the new school year.

Test the web version

  1. Open the unique ePlatform web address for your library.
  2. Confirm that the correct library and homepage are displayed.
  3. Log in using a test patron account.
  4. Search for an available eBook.
  5. Borrow the eBook and confirm that it opens.
  6. Search for an available Audiobook.
  7. Borrow the Audiobook and confirm that playback begins.
  8. Open My Loans and confirm that the borrowed titles are displayed.

Test the mobile or tablet app

  1. Open the ePlatform app.
  2. Add the library by searching for its name, entering its setup code, or scanning its QR code.
  3. Log in using a test patron account.
  4. Confirm that the account's current loans are displayed.
  5. Open a borrowed title and confirm that reading or playback begins.

Test other configured features

  • If your school uses SSO, test the existing SSO login.
  • If your school uses age or year-level restrictions, test with appropriate accounts.
  • If your school uses classes and book assignments, confirm that a test assignment appears for the relevant student.
  • If ePlatform titles appear in an external catalogue, open a 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.

12. Monitor activity at the start of term

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;
  • popular titles; and
  • whether patrons are accessing ePlatform through the web portal, mobile apps, or Library Management System.

Use the available date filters when reviewing activity from the beginning of the new school year.

For more information, see Viewing Usage Analytics.

Getting help

When requesting technical assistance, include:

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

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