Glossary & Key Concepts
Understanding the numbers, terms and relationships used throughout Papyrus Cloud
How the key identifiers relate to each other
A single catalogued title (BRN) can have many physical copies. Each copy carries its own accession number and barcode. The ISBN belongs to the title, not the copy.
Users and Library Members
PeoplePapyrus Cloud distinguishes between two groups of people who interact with the system:
| Term | Who they are | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| User | Library staff — librarians and administrators | Log in to Papyrus Cloud to manage the library: cataloguing, circulation, reporting, and configuration |
| Library Member | People who use the library — students, pupils, staff, or the public | Borrow books and other items from the library. Identified throughout the system by their Member Number |
Member Types and Categories
ClassificationEvery library member belongs to a Member Type and optionally a Category. Together, these two levels of classification allow you to group members for reporting and to control how circulation rules are applied.
| Term | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Member Type | The primary grouping. Controls borrowing rules — loan periods, number of items allowed, and fine rates | Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 … Grade 12; Staff; External |
| Category | A sub-grouping within a Member Type. Used for finer reporting and organisation | Gr2 B, Gr2 G, Gr3 A, Gr3 B |
A school library might define Member Types for each grade level: Grade 1 through Grade 12. Within Grade 3, Categories could represent individual classes: Gr3 A, Gr3 B, and Gr3 G. Each grade can have different loan periods — for example, Grade 1 members may borrow one book for one week, while Grade 12 members may borrow three books for two weeks.
Publication Types
Catalogue classificationEvery bibliographic record in Papyrus is linked to a Publication Type. This classifies the kind of media being catalogued and is used extensively in reports to group and filter the library's holdings.
Papyrus supports an unlimited number of Publication Types. However, it is recommended to keep the list concise — too many types make reports harder to read and cataloguing more complex than necessary.
Book · Fiction · Non-Fiction · English Fiction · Afrikaans Fiction · Serials · DVD · Reference · Poster · Equipment
Bibliographic Reference Number (BRN)
Catalogue identifierEvery catalogued item in Papyrus is uniquely identified by a Bibliographic Reference Number, commonly referred to as a BRN. The BRN is the system's internal identifier for a catalogue entry — it represents the title, not any physical copy of it.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | 8-digit number |
| Starting value | Typically 10000000, incrementing with each new record |
| Assigned by | Papyrus automatically on creation |
| Also known as | Call Number (in some libraries) |
| Required fields | Must be linked to a Title and a Publication Type |
A BRN does not necessarily represent a physical item. A catalogue entry for an online resource or a website, for example, would have a BRN but no associated physical stock. Most catalogue entries, however, will have at least one physical stock item linked to them.
The book Great Monster Hunt by Norbert Landa might be assigned BRN 10671132. Its Publication Type would be Book. If the library holds two physical copies, both copies are linked to BRN 10671132 — each with its own accession number and barcode.
ISBD — International Standard Bibliographic Description
Catalogue standardThe ISBD is a standardised, human-readable summary of a catalogue record. Papyrus automatically generates this description from the catalogued fields when you save a bibliographic record. It is used in reports, search results, and the OPAC to present publication details in a consistent, internationally recognised format.
Great Monster Hunt / Norbert Landa. – 2010. – 32 pages. – 9781848950221
You do not need to construct the ISBD manually — Papyrus generates it from the individual fields you enter during cataloguing (Title, Author, Year, Pages, ISBN, etc.). Saving the record in EasyCAT triggers the ISBD to be built automatically.
Accession Number
Stock identifierThe Accession Number is a unique identifier assigned to each individual physical copy of an item held in the library. While the BRN identifies the title, the accession number identifies the specific copy on the shelf.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Up to 15 alphanumeric characters. Most commonly yyyy/nnnn |
| Uniqueness | Must be unique across the entire library system |
| Can be changed | No — permanent once assigned. An audit trail is maintained |
| Assigned by | Staff (manual entry) or Papyrus (auto-generated sequential number) |
1997/1172 — Copy acquired in 1997, sequential number 1172
2008/781 — Copy acquired in 2008, sequential number 781
2024/0034 — Copy acquired in 2024, sequential number 34
If a library holds three copies of the same title, each copy will have its own accession number, even though all three share the same BRN. The accession number is the number typically written inside the front cover of a book.
Barcode
Stock identifierThe Barcode is a scannable number printed on a label affixed to each physical copy. Its primary purpose is to allow fast, accurate entry of a copy's identifying number using a barcode scanner at the Front Desk — eliminating the need to type accession numbers manually during busy circulation periods.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Typical format | Short numeric code, e.g. 5 or 6 digits starting from 10000 |
| Uniqueness | Must be unique. Cannot match another stock item's accession number |
| Can be changed | Yes — unlike the accession number, barcodes can be updated if needed |
| Default value | Set to match the accession number when stock is first created, but can be overridden |
A copy of Badger Boy added in 2008 might have Accession Number 2008/781 and Barcode 10045. At the Front Desk, either number can be entered or scanned to identify the copy.
ISBN — International Standard Book Number
Industry identifierThe ISBN is a 13-digit number assigned by publishers to uniquely identify each separate edition of a book. It is an industry standard used worldwide by publishers, booksellers, and libraries.
In Papyrus, the ISBN serves two purposes:
When you enter an ISBN in EasyCAT and click Search, Papyrus looks up the title in its publisher database. If found, it automatically populates the Title, Author, Publisher, Date, Page count, and other fields — saving significant data entry time.
Different editions of the same title (e.g. a revised edition, a paperback edition, or a large-print edition) each have their own ISBN. This allows your catalogue to distinguish between editions of the same work.
Quick Reference
SummaryA summary of all key terms for quick lookup.