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  1. We at the Libraries of Malmö would like to suggest that Innovative and Lyngsoe develop an interaction between Sierra and IMMS to help clear hold shelves.

    The issue: Currently, we have hold shelves at our libraries that are numbered between, for example 100 and 120. Each day we clear the holds that have expired the previous day. When we first implemented IMMS, we noted the shelf to clear down on a paper almanac and then wrote them off a week later.

    However, we have since then coded a very simple application to keep track of this for us. The application…

    12 votes

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  2. Problem:

    Our practice is to suspend user accounts when a staff member leaves, rather than delete it, so that we can copy the necessary permissions when a replacement is hired. We then try to delete the accounts after 6 months, but there is currently no method within the Admin App or SQL that tells you when a login was suspended, so we have to track that manually.

    Value: adding a timestamp to this field would enable us to more seamlessly manage user accounts for our large consortia and ensure that unnecessary logins are periodically purged.

    7 votes

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  3. Currently, when a query is beyond the capabilities of Create Lists, it is usually possible to use a SQL query with Python to produce a report. Such a report might list record numbers of bibs/items/orders/patrons/etc which bear further examination and correction by library staff, but staff must copy record numbers or barcodes in the report and paste them into the SDA to pull up the records in question. It would be much easier if an API endpoint permitted those record numbers to be written to a review file so staff can go through them one-by-one in the SDA.

    Another use…

    10 votes

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  4. This proposal suggests enhancing the Patron API key creation process by incorporating a Stat Group field, allowing staff to categorize API keys by vendor and track their usage using existing reporting tools. The proposed enhancement would modify the API key creation window to include an optional Stat Group field towards the bottom. If left blank, the default stat group (zero) would be assigned, maintaining current functionality. This change addresses a common issue where vendors do not implement the stat group provided by the library, often resulting in API-driven transactions being categorized under stat group 0. This leads to inaccurate or…

    24 votes

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  5. This idea came from a discussion at the IUG2025 Sierra Reporting Forum.

    It would be very useful to provide an endpoint to assist with gathering/generating the sorts of circulations statistics that would normally require SQL access. However, the all or nothing nature of SQL permissions is a barrier that prevents many users from being permitted to access those features. With the API on the other hand a user could be limited to simply having read access to an endpoint such as this, along with likely the bib and item endpoints so that they may craft reports without also having to…

    21 votes

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  6. Currently the only hold parameters one can modify via the API are

    PatronHoldPut {
        pickupLocation (string, optional): the hold's pickup location code,
        freeze (boolean, optional): whether the hold should be frozen (suspended)
    }

    It would be very helpful if the Pickup By date – and while you're at it, the Hold Note – were added as modifiable parameters.  There have been many times when unscheduled branch closures or problems in sending hold pickup notices have caused us to want to extend hold Pickup By dates for items on the holdshelf.

    Having this functionality in an API endpoint would permit a…

    15 votes

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  7. Our library wants to provide the patron validate role to our vendors.
    But, we do not want to give the vendors any read or write roles.

    We do this now with several vendors, but the authentication does not update the "last circ activity" field in the patron record.

    Is it possible to add a new permission that would only allow authentication but update the "last circ activity" field in the patron record.

    Why add this feature?
    Our library purges patron that don't circulate for X number of years. We don't want to delete patrons that are actively using our eVendor…

    17 votes

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  8. Sierra 6.5 saw the move of the process for restarting terminal sessions from our text-based management tool to the Sierra Admin App. While I'm chuffed enough about that to be writing this enhancement idea on Thanksgiving Day (and to be using the word chuffed), I'm hoping further development can make it even better & restore some of the functionality from the admin app that isn't available in this updated interface.

    Specifically, I'd like to be able to restart a range of terminals (for example, all staff sessions), mirroring the Restart Multiple Terminals option in text-based. Yes, we can check a…

    4 votes

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  9. Improving universal accessibility features for users/employees with diverse accessibility needs.

    For example, for employees with visual impairments :
    - High contrast mode and adjustable font size. Currently, users can change text color and size, but increasing the font size often causes content to be hidden, as the window does not automatically adjust. Users must manually resize the window each time. A responsive layout would greatly improve usability.

    Other potential improvements could include : screen reader compatibility, customizable keyboard navigation, text descriptions for icons, etc.

    Even just the high contrast would help a lot. Additionally, it would be helpful if users…

    14 votes

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  10. It would be helpful for us to have access to the history of item and volume records, including details of their creation and any subsequent edits. This would improve our ability to track changes and ensure accountability if any issues come up.

    25 votes

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  11. Keeping our systems secure with SSL certificates is essential. Certificates need to be renewed and there is a service commitment to handle this process. But there is a better way. SSL providers can be setup to automatically renew and deliver an updated SSL certificate to our systems when their expiration time approaches.

    This idea is for Innovative to support software-only site with setting up an automatic SSL renewal process thereby keeping our systems safe from expiring certificates and making the process worry-free.

    21 votes

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  12. Batch check-in is a necessary component of debt write-off and system maintenance. Running this process updates the patron account circulation activity date (CIRCACTIVE) even though this is a system-generated process and not initiated by the patron.

    We use the CIRCACTIVE date when reporting on card usage, and as an indicator of when to delete inactive cards. Because the date is updated through batch check-in, we have to do a lot of clean-up work to understand actual patron usage and behavior.

    Ideally, batch check-in should not update CIRCACTIVE. It would be fine for the account UPDATED date to be updated.

    This…

    23 votes

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  13. Develop a utility to add new location codes to the so-called Branches table using a CSV file as input. Optionally permit updates (overlays) of existing location code entries so that the branch_code_num, name and/or is_public columns may be reassigned values in this way.

    Our library has very granular location codes which describe branch (or collection subset of a branch such as a display area), audience, format and genre, loosely speaking. This amounts to 220-250 location codes per branch (or collection subset). We currently have over 5,000 distinct location codes in our Sierra database, and every time a new branch is…

    10 votes

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  14. We use the patron's 18th birthday as their youth card expiration date. Due to the Year 2038 issue we have been unable to add the correct date for several years now. We would really like to be able to have (any/all) date fields updated so we can begin to record accurate future dates again.

    28 votes

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  15. We would like to see more granulated permissions for user administration, especially with assigned permissions, settings, options, workflows, etc.

    We would like the ability to assign a particular group of user accounts (e.g., circ student employees) to a specific admin (e.g., head of circulation) without assigning ALL system administration. It would be helpful for troubleshooting and having this department be able to assign macros, specific permissions, and print settings to different accounts.

    Ideally, this "group admin" would have the ability to edit settings on accounts for options, settings, and workflows. It would be great if they could clone and create…

    9 votes

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  16. Sierra 6.5 saw the move of the process for restarting terminal sessions from our text-based management tool to the Sierra Admin App. While I'm chuffed enough about that to be writing this enhancement idea on Thanksgiving Day (and to be using the word chuffed), I'm hoping further development can make it even better & restore some of the functionality from the admin app that isn't available in this updated interface.

    Specifically, I'd like to be able to restart a range of terminals (for example, all staff sessions), mirroring the Restart Multiple Terminals option in text-based. Yes, we can check a…

    1 vote

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  17. With the increase in bot attacks causing DOSS downtime, it is important to be on top of server security. The Apache module "modsecurity" has been around for over 20 years and there is an active community creating rules (https://coreruleset.org/) to block bot attacks. I think that Innovative should include modsecurity in their Apache build and actively support or provide the option to its customers to include rules to increase server security.

    3 votes

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  18. Right now NCIP for Symphony, Voyager, Polaris, Koha and Evergreen all accept ISBNs, but Sierra's does not.

    6 votes

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  19. The form endpoint is used to identify cases in which a patron must place a volume level hold or is restricted to an item's home library as a pickup location. Both of those involve item level specifics and yet the endpoint only works with bib records. This is an issue in particular with multi-location libraries/consortia who use the home pickup feature.

    As an example, a sample bib record has two attached items, one which uses the home pickup feature such that it may only be picked up at library A, and one that does not restrict pickup locations so may…

    6 votes

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  20. Today, Sierra’s REST API does not provide a reliable way to retrieve a complete list of location codes (and their names/labels) as defined in Sierra’s Branches table (SDA: Admin > Parameters > General > Branches). This creates friction for discovery-layer implementations and other third-party integrations that require an authoritative, up-to-date list of locations.

    Innovative Support shared that “it’s not possible to get a list of all locations using the REST API,” and that the closest option is the branches endpoint, which only returns locations that are linked to entries in the Branch Address table, not a full representation of the…

    1 vote

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