Users
Managing staff access to Papyrus Cloud and controlling what each user can see and do
Users vs Library Members
It is important to understand the distinction between Users and Library Members in Papyrus Cloud:
| Type | Who they are | Managed where |
|---|---|---|
| User (Librarian) | A staff member who logs in to administer the library system — cataloguing, circulation, parameters, and reports | This screen — Parameters → Users |
| Library Member | A person who borrows books from the library. Members automatically have access to the OPAC and can view their own circulation details | Members → Maintain Members |
Adding a User
To grant a staff member access to Papyrus Cloud, they must first have registered a Papyrus Cloud account using their email address at papyruscloud.org/account/Register. Once registered, the administrator can add them as a user here.
Enter the staff member's registered email address in the User email address field at the top of the screen.
Click the Add button. The user will appear in the users list below with default permission settings.
Click Edit on the new user's row to configure their permissions, location, and access level.
Tick the appropriate permission checkboxes for the user's role (see Permission flags below). Click Update to save.
Permission Flags
Each user account has a set of permission flags that control which areas of Papyrus Cloud they can access. These are set by ticking or unticking checkboxes when editing a user record.
| Flag | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Enabled | Master on/off switch for the account. An Enabled user can log in; a disabled user cannot. Use this to temporarily suspend access rather than deleting the account. |
| Manager | Access to Parameters — all configuration screens including Global Parameters, System Dates, Holidays, Users, Member Types, Publication Types, Fine Types, Privileges, and all other setup screens. Assign only to the library administrator or senior staff. |
| Back Office | Access to Cataloguing — all four cataloguing methods (EasyCAT, QuickCAT, FastCAT, AdvanceCAT), barcode labels, interlibrary loans, stock take, and reading lists. |
| OPAC | Access to all OPAC search screens — Advanced Search, AI Search, Simple Search, Reading Lists, and QR Code. All library members have OPAC access by default; this flag controls whether staff have it too. |
| Front Office | Access to Circulation — the Front Desk for issuing and returning items, overdues management, outstanding fines, transaction summary, bulk returns, and reservations (Bespeaks). |
| Last Date | Read-only. Shows the date and time the user last logged in to Papyrus Cloud. Useful for auditing and identifying inactive accounts. |
| Help Level | Sets the contextual help level displayed to the user within the system. A value of 1 indicates full help is shown. |
Special Permissions
In addition to the main area permissions, three special flags can be assigned to individual users to grant elevated operational capabilities at the Front Desk.
| Flag | Description and when to assign |
|---|---|
| Reveal Member | When a staff member searches the OPAC for an item that is on loan, this flag allows them to see which library member currently has it. Without this flag, the item shows as "On Loan" but the member's name is not revealed — protecting member privacy. Assign to senior staff who need to trace items. |
| Override Bespeaks | Normally, if an item is reserved (bespeaked) for a member, the system will warn against issuing it to a different member. This flag allows the user to override that warning and issue the reserved item to someone else. Assign only to senior staff who are authorised to make such decisions. |
| Override Privileges | Borrowing privileges — such as the maximum number of items a member can borrow, or the maximum loan duration — are set per member type. This flag allows a user to bypass those restrictions and issue an item regardless of the member's privilege limits. Assign to senior staff for exceptional circumstances only. |
| Can Renew All Books | Allows the user to renew all outstanding loans for a member in a single operation. Useful for bulk renewals at end of term or for members with special circumstances. |
Location and Visibility
For libraries with multiple physical sites or branches, user access can be restricted to a specific location. This controls which members, stock items, and circulation records are visible to that user.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Location | Assign a user to a specific library location (e.g. JHB). If assigned, the user sees only the members, stock, and circulation records belonging to that location. Leave blank to give the user access to all locations (the default for single-site libraries). |
| Only View Main Library | When ticked, restricts the user to viewing only the main library's data, even if multiple locations are configured. Useful for staff who should not see data from satellite sites. |
Role Examples
The table below shows recommended permission settings for common library staff roles. Adapt these to suit your library's staffing structure.
| Role | Enabled | Manager | Back Office | OPAC | Front Office | Reveal Member | Override Bespeaks | Override Privileges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Librarian / Administrator | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Librarian (full access) | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – |
| Cataloguer only | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Front Desk assistant | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Read-only / OPAC only | ✓ | – | – | ✓ | – | – | – | – |
| Suspended / Inactive | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
✓ = permission granted · – = permission not granted
Editing a User
All existing users are displayed in the users list below the entry form. The list shows each user's email address, name, enabled status, last login date, location assignment, and all permission flags. Columns can be sorted by clicking their headings.
| User ID | Full Names | Enabled | Last Date | Location | Manager | Back Office | OPAC | Front Office | Reveal Member | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EditDelete | help@papyruscloud.org | ✓ | 2026/04/18 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| EditDelete | ken.fargher@gmail.com | ✓ | 2026/03/11 | JHB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| EditDelete | support@papyruscloud.org | ✓ | 2026/04/18 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – |
To edit a user's permissions or settings, click the Edit link on their row. The row expands into an editable form. Make your changes and click Update to save, or Cancel to discard.
Removing a User
To permanently remove a user's access to Papyrus Cloud, click the Delete link on their row in the users list. You will be asked to confirm before the record is removed.