Patron load

Learn how to assemble a patron load file and load patron records for customers using the Hosted Service in Relais ILL.

Patron records can be added through the Patron Load for Hosted Customers.  To use this option, you must create a file of patron records by extracting them from your local library system.  This XML file must conform to a pre-defined format.  

When records are loaded from the XML file:

When a patron exists in Relais, but there is no corresponding record in the XML file, then no changes are made to the patron record.

Patron load file layout

View a sample XML file of records for Patron Load.

Save the file with encoding set to UTF-8 and not ANSI.

Root Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Data Type Notes
UserInformation            
  Version       String(3) Must be "1.0"
  PatronRecord          
    PatronID     String(20) Convert to Uppercase
    PatronName        
      Surname   String(26) Convert to Uppercase
      GivenName   String(25) Convert to Uppercase
    LibrarySymbol     String(25) Lookup Library ID in ID_Library
    PatronActive     String(1) "Y" or "N" - Default = "Y"
    PatronType     String Requires mapping to Relais codes
    ContactPhone1     String(25)  
    ContactPhone2     String(25)  
    Department       Add if not registered
      DepartmentCode   String Requires mapping to Relais codes
      DepartmentDesc   String(50)  
    Branch       Add if not registered
      BranchCode   String Requires mapping to Relais codes
      BranchDesc   String(50)  
    PrimaryAddress        
      Address1   String(70)  
      Address2   String(70)  
      City   String(40)  
      Province   String(20) Province or State
      State   String(20) Province or State
      Country   String(35)  
      PostalCode   String(15) Postal Code or Zip Code
      ZipCode   String(15) Postal Code or Zip Code
    BillingInformation        
      BillingType   String(1) Requires mapping to Relais codes
      BillingRate   String(1) Requires mapping to Relais codes
      BillingAddress      
        BillAddress1 String(70)  
        BillAddress2 String(70)  
        BillCity String(40)  
        BillProvince String(20) Province or State
        BillState String(20) Province or State
        BillCountry String(35)  
        BillPostalCode String(15) Postal Code or Zip Code
        BillZipCode String(15) Postal Code or Zip Code
      BillingContact      
        ContactName String(50)  
        ContactPhone String(25)  
        ContactFax String(25)  
      AccountNumber   String(20)  
    ElectronicDelivery        
      FileFormat   String(1) (P)DF or (T)iff Default = "P"
      DeliveryMethod   String(1) Default = "M"
      DeliverySpecific      
        DeliveryFax String(25)  
        DeliveryEmail String(80)  
      MessagingMethod   String(1) Default = "M"
      MessagingSpecific      
        MessagingFax String(25)  
        MessagingEmail String(80)  
      PickupLocation   String(50) Requires mapping to Relais codes
      DeliveryService   String(9)  
      ArielAddress   String(80)  
      DocviewAddress   String(80)  
    UserLogin        
      LoginID   String(20)  
      LoginPassword   String(20)  
    LoanCode     String(1) Requires mapping to Relais codes
    StatsCategory     String(1) Requires mapping to Relais codes
    Quota     Integer  
    LastModified     DateTime yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss

Notes

  • Fields in bold are required. PatronID and LibrarySymbol are mandatory. Surname, LoginID and LoginPassword are only required if you are sending the PatronName and/or a UserLogin information to be loaded.
  • The following characters should be escaped, when present in the VALUE of an XML element or attribute.

    Original Character

    Escaped Version
    '  '
    " "
    &  &
    < &lt;
    > &gt;
  • For Branch and Department, you may supply the code and description pair with a mapping to the corresponding Relais code or the description by itself and Relais will lookup the code. If the description is supplied without the code and the lookup fails, Relais will generate a code and register the description.
  • The Relais Update Patron Record program sets values as follows.  If you require any of these fields to be set to other values, then review the options with the person who is creating your extract.
     
    Patron Type
    • If a patron type code is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    • If a patron type code is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    Patron Active
    • If a flag is not provided then the active flag in the patron record is set to Y.
    • If the flag provided is not Y or N, then the active flag in the patron record is set to Y.
    Library Symbol
    • If a library symbol is not provided, Update Patron Record will terminate.
    • If a library symbol is provided but it does not exist in Relais, Update Patron Record terminates.
    Department
    • If a code and description are not provided the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    • If a code or a description is provided, a look up is done and the result used to populate the patron record accordingly. 
    • If no record is found then a code is created (and description added if one has been provided).
    Branch
    • If a code and description are not provided as part of the extract the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    • If a code or a description is provided, a look up is done and the result used to populate the patron record accordingly.
    • If no record is found then a code is created (and description added if one has been provided).
    Billing Type
    • If a billing type code is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    • If a billing type code is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    Billing Rate
    • If a billing rate code is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL. 
    • If a billing rate code is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    Delivery Method
    • If a delivery method is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to M(ail).
    • If a delivery method is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to M(ail).
    Messaging Method
    • If a messaging method is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to M(ail).
    • If a messaging method is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to M(ail).
    Pickup Location
    • If a pickup location is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    • If a pickup location is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    Loan Code
    • If a loan code is not provided, then the first value from the loan code table is assigned.
    • If the loan code table is empty, the Update Patron Record terminates.
    Stats Category
    • If a code is not provided, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.
    • If a code is provided but does not exist in Relais, then the value in the patron record is set to NULL.

Load patron records for customers using the Hosted Service

Files of patron records are moved from the customer site to the Hosted Service using the Relais File Transfer Service (RFTS).