Maintain Members
The central screen for viewing and editing individual member records
Finding a Member
The screen opens with an empty Member Number field. There are two ways to locate a member:
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Type or scan a member number | Enter the member number directly (e.g. KCF001) or scan the member's barcode. The record loads immediately when you tab out or press Enter. The member number and barcode are usually the same, but can differ — either will locate the member. |
| Type a name | Start typing the member's surname. An autocomplete drop-down appears after a short pause, listing matching members by name and member number. Select the correct member from the list. The search is not case-sensitive. |
Toolbar Buttons
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Save | Saves any changes made to the currently displayed member record. The button briefly shows "Saving…" while the update is processed. Always click Save after editing any field. |
| Delete | Deletes the currently displayed member record. A confirmation dialog appears before deletion proceeds. A member cannot be deleted if they have items currently on loan or outstanding fines — these must be resolved first. |
| Find | Submits the content of the Member Number field as a search. Use this if you have typed a member number but not yet triggered the autocomplete, or to reload the member after making changes. |
| New | Opens the Add a New Member modal. See the Adding a new member section below. |
Adding a New Member
Click New to open the Add a New Member panel. Four fields are required to create the member record:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Member Number | A unique identifier for the member — up to 12 characters. Click Next Number to have the system assign the next available number automatically based on the sequence configured in Global Parameters. Or type a custom number such as a student ID or staff number. |
| Surname | The member's family name. Maximum 30 characters. Used in the autocomplete search. Stored and displayed in uppercase for consistency. |
| First Names | The member's given name(s). Maximum 20 characters. |
| Member Type | The borrowing category the member belongs to — Grade 1 through Grade 12, Leavers, Staff, Teacher, Parents, Part Time, or Students. This drives the Privileges matrix that determines loan periods, quotas, and fine rates. Choose carefully — the Member Type can be changed later but will affect all active loans. |
Click Add to create the record. The panel closes and the new member is displayed, ready for the remaining details to be filled in across the six tabs.
Tab 1 — Basic Details
The Basic Details tab holds the core identity and classification fields. Most of these are editable at any time — click Save after making changes.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Surname | Family name. Maximum 30 characters. Used in the autocomplete search throughout the system. |
| First Names | Given name(s). Maximum 20 characters. |
| Title | Optional honorific — Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr, etc. Maximum 10 characters. |
| Member Type | The member's borrowing classification. Changing this takes effect immediately for new loans. It does not retroactively change the terms of existing loans already in progress. |
| Category | An optional secondary grouping — typically the class or section within the member type. For example, Grade 7 members might be in categories 7C, 7L, or 7S. Categories are for reporting and grouping purposes only; they do not affect borrowing rules. See the sample library's 14 categories: blank, 00B, 00M, 00N, 0C, 0L, 0S, 1A, 1G, 2H, 7C, 7L, 7S, G8 Green. |
| Primary email address — used for overdue reminder emails and member communications. Maximum 50 characters. | |
| Email 2 | Secondary email address — useful for sending reminders to a parent or guardian as well as the member. Maximum 100 characters. |
| ID No | National ID number, student number, or other external identifier. Optional. Maximum 50 characters. Useful for cross-referencing with school administration systems. |
| Status | The member's account status. Controls whether the member can borrow. See the Member status values section below. |
| Barcode | The barcode number on the member's library card. Used at the Front Desk when scanning to identify the member. Defaults to the member number but can be different. Maximum 16 characters. |
| Location | The library location (branch or site) this member is associated with. Used in multi-site libraries for reporting and filtering. Leave blank for the main location. |
Tab 2 — Contact Details
The Contact Details tab stores the member's physical address and telephone numbers. All fields are optional. Two address columns are provided — Main Address and Alternative Address — for cases where a member has a home and work or postal address.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Address Lines 1–4 | Up to four address lines per address (main and alternative). 30 characters per line. Used in printed correspondence and statements. |
| Postal Code | Four-character postal/zip code for each address. |
| Phone | General contact number. Maximum 15 characters. |
| Cell | Mobile/cell phone number. Maximum 15 characters. |
| Home Phone | Home telephone number. Maximum 15 characters. |
| Work Phone | Work telephone number. Maximum 15 characters. |
| Account Number | An external account or reference number — for example, a parent's debit order account or school account reference. Maximum 20 characters. |
Tab 3 — Circulations
The Circulations tab shows the member's complete loan history — every item they have borrowed, sorted with the most recent first. Each row shows the item's bibliographic description, accession number, the dates it was issued, due, and returned, and any fine information. An Info button on each row opens detailed transaction information.
Below is the actual circulation history for member KCF001 (Ken Fargher) from the sample library:
| Title | AccNo | Date Issued | Date Due | Date Returned | Fine Due | Fine Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marley & Me — Grogan, John | 00003077 | 2025 Nov 27 | 2025 Dec 12 | 2026 Jan 26 | R120.00 | R2.00 |
| Great Monster Hunt [NF] — Norbert Landa & Tim Warnes | 2024/982 | 2025 Mar 17 | 2025 Mar 17 | 2025 May 13 | — | — |
| Marley & Me — Grogan, John | 00003077 | 2025 Mar 14 | 2025 Mar 31 | 2025 Nov 27 | R500.00 | R1.00 |
| Great Monster Hunt [NF] — Norbert Landa & Tim Warnes | 2024/982 | 2024 Jul 28 | 2024 Aug 12 | 2025 Mar 17 | R500.00 | R3.00 |
Reading this history: the member has borrowed the same two books multiple times. The most recent Marley & Me loan was issued 27 Nov 2025, due 12 Dec, and returned 26 Jan 2026 — 45 days late, attracting a fine of R120.00 of which R2.00 has been paid. The [NF] tag in the Great Monster Hunt title indicates the Non Fiction media term code set in the Publication Template.
Tab 4 — Notes
The Notes tab allows free-text notes to be attached to a member's record. Each note is added individually — type the note in the text area and click Add. A confirmation dialog appears before the note is saved. Previously added notes are listed below the entry field, with the date and content of each.
Notes are useful for recording special circumstances — a payment arrangement, a note from the member's teacher, or a reminder about a recurring issue. All notes are visible to any library staff member who views the member record.
Tab 5 — Membership Fees
The Membership Fees tab manages the member's annual or periodic membership fee. It is divided into three sections: Previous Fees, Current Fees, and Due Fees.
| Section / Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Previous Fees — Last Fees Paid | The amount of the most recent completed membership fee payment. Read-only — updated automatically when a payment is processed. |
| Previous Fees — Last Fees Date | The date the previous fee was paid. Read-only. |
| Current Fees — Fees Paid | The amount paid for the current membership period. Read-only. |
| Current Fees — Fees Paid Date | When the current fee was paid. Read-only. |
| Current Fees — Fees Paid Reference | A payment reference such as a receipt number or EFT reference. Read-only. |
| Due Fees — Outstanding Amount | The amount currently outstanding for membership fees. Read-only — calculated by the system. |
| Due Fees — Fees Due Date | The date by which the fee must be paid. Editable. Highlighted in pink to draw attention when a fee is due. |
| Due Fees — Current Membership Fees | The fee amount currently set for this member's Member Type (from Membership Fees settings). Displayed in green for reference. In the sample library this is R20.00. |
The action buttons at the bottom of the tab process fee transactions:
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Renew | Renews the member's membership for the next period without recording a payment — useful when fees are waived or paid through another system. |
| Renew and Pay | Records both a membership renewal and a payment in one step. Use when collecting the fee at the desk. |
| Pay | Records a payment against the current outstanding fee without triggering a renewal — for partial payments or back-payments. |
| View Transactions | Opens the full fee transaction history for this member, showing all past payments, renewals, and adjustments. |
Tab 6 — Information
The Information tab shows read-only audit fields recording when the member record was created and last modified. This information is useful when investigating data entry queries or auditing changes.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Date Added | The date this member record was created in the system. For member KCF001, this was 2024/07/04. |
| Amended By | The username (email address) of the last staff member to save a change to this record. For KCF001, the last edit was by support@papyruscloud. |
| Date Last Updated | The date and time of the most recent save. For KCF001, this was 2025/11/27 at 15:38:23 — the same date the most recent loan was processed. |
Member Photo
A photo panel appears on the right-hand side of the Basic Details tab. The photo is used on printed ID cards and library cards, and displays in member records to help staff visually identify members at the Front Desk.
| Method | How it works |
|---|---|
| Drag and drop | Drag a JPG, PNG, or GIF image file from your computer and drop it onto the grey drag-and-drop zone above the photo. The file is uploaded automatically. Maximum file size 10 MB. |
| Upload button | Click Upload to open a file picker window where you can browse to a saved photo file. |
| Camera button | Click Camera to capture a photo directly from a connected webcam. This opens the same camera interface as the dedicated Members → ID Photo Camera screen. |
| Reprint ID | Prints the member's ID card or library card label using the current photo and barcode. Uses the label settings configured in Barcode Settings. |
| Rotate | Rotates the current photo 90° clockwise. Use if a photo was uploaded in portrait orientation when landscape is needed, or vice versa. |
Member Status Values
The Status field on the Basic Details tab controls whether a member can borrow from the library. There are four status values:
| Status | Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 0 — Not Registered | Not Registered | The member record exists but the member has not completed registration. The Front Desk may treat this differently depending on system settings — often blocks borrowing until registration is confirmed. |
| 1 — Normal | Normal | The member is active and in good standing. Can borrow items at the Front Desk subject to their Privileges. This is the default status for all new members. |
| 2 — On Hold | On Hold | Borrowing is suspended — the member cannot take out new loans until the hold is removed. Use this for members with unresolved fines, membership fee arrears, or other account issues that need attention before lending resumes. |
| 3 — To Delete | To Delete | The member is flagged for deletion — typically a leaver or former member. The record is kept for historical purposes but the member cannot borrow. Actual deletion is done through the Delete button once all outstanding loans and fines are cleared. |