Set up PAC Active Directory logon

You can allow users to log on to PAC using network credentials (Active Directory logon) instead of the Polaris patron record barcode/username and password. ActiveDirectory logon has these requirements and limitations:

• The Polaris production server must be in the same domain as the Active Directory service.
• The library must designate a user-defined field (UDF) to contain the network ID in the patron record. Staff can search for patron records by this UDF if trouble-shooting is necessary. For information about setting up UDFs, see Setting Up User-Defined Fields.

• The Polaris patron record barcode and password will not work to log on to the patron record in PAC. Because the network ID is the standard for access and the Polaris patron barcode/password cannot be used to log on, the library must limit the user’s ability to manage this Polaris patron data by suppressing certain options from PAC. In Polaris Administration, suppress the following options with the PAC profile Patron access options (see Setting Patron Account Options):

  • Create a username - On the Log In tabbed page (system level only), clear the Enable patron username check box.
  • Change passwords - On the Log In tabbed page, clear the Patron can change password check box.
  • Manage forgotten passwords - On the Log In tabbed page (system level only), clear the E-mail forgotten password check box.
  • Register for a patron account online - On the Self-registration tabbed page, clear the Patron can self-register check box.
• SIP applications, such as third-party self-check, will not work with the Active Directory credentials. They require the Polaris patron record barcode and password.
• Offline Polaris will not work with the Active Directory credentials. It requires the Polaris patron record barcode and password.

See Active Directory Log On in PAC.

To allow users to log on to PAC using network credentials instead of the Polaris patron record barcode/username and password:

Note:
These settings apply to both Polaris PowerPAC and Mobile PAC.

1. In the Administration Explorer tree view, open the Profiles folder for the system, and click the PAC tab in the details view.
2. Double-click Active directory logon. The Active Directory Logon dialog box appears.
3. Select (check) Enable.
4. Select the UDF (user-defined field) that contains the network ID from the list.
5. The options are the UDFs defined for the system. See Setting Up User-Defined Fields.
6. Enter the network domain name (maximum 25 characters).
7. Click Save.
8. Suppress user name, password, and self-registration options from display in PAC, using the PAC profile Patron access options. See Enable patron account access - PowerPAC.

Important:
There are no programmatic relationships between the Active Directory Logon settings and the Patron access options settings that control patron usernames, passwords, or self-registration. You must suppress these options in Polaris Administration as described here.

9. Using Polaris Language Editor (WebAdmin), reload Polaris PowerPAC and Mobile PAC.

Active Directory Log On in PAC

When the Active Directory option is enabled, the PAC log-on page displays Username and Password fields. The user enters the network ID (username) and password. If the password is correct and the username matches that entered in a single patron record UDF, the user is logged on. The Username field label can be edited in Polaris Language Editor (WebAdmin).

Authentication fails in the following situations:

• The credentials cannot be validated according to network validation rules (for example, the user has entered a Polaris patron barcode instead of the network username). A message is displayed: You have entered an invalid ID or password. Please try again.
• The ID (username) entered does not match the designated UDF in any patron record. A message is displayed: Your library account cannot be verified. Please contact the library for assistance.
• The ID entered matches the designated UDF in more than patron record. A message is displayed: Your ID matches more than one library record. Please contact the library for assistance.

These messages can be edited in Polaris Language Editor (WebAdmin). The language strings are:

• PACML_ADLOGON_FAILED (invalid ID or password)
• PACML_ADLOGON-NOPATRON (library account cannot be verified)
• PACML_ADLOGON_MULTPATRON (more than one library record)