Accessing Sierra Web
Sierra Web uses the same user accounts as the Sierra Desktop Application. To access Sierra Web, you must have a valid user account that has:
- Sierra Application selected as an authorized application.
- The Sierra Web login option enabled.
Sierra Web limits the number of concurrent sessions your library can have, as follows:
- Sierra 5.4 and later: 60 concurrent sessions per instance of Sierra Web. Additional instances of Sierra Web can be configured to increase the number of users. Contact Innovative to discuss this setup.
- Sierra 5.0 and later: 60 concurrent sessions
- Sierra 4.3: 40 concurrent sessions
- Sierra 4.1 and Sierra 4.2: 30 concurrent sessions
- Sierra 4.0 and earlier: five concurrent sessions
You cannot start multiple Sierra Web sessions on the same device (for example, using multiple browser tabs or windows).
For more information accessing Sierra Web, see:
Signing In to Sierra Web
To sign in to Sierra Web:
- Open a Google Chrome browser window.
- Enter the following URL:
http://[app server hostname]/sierra/sierraweb/
- Click one of the following options:
- Connect to Sierra Service. Sierra Web starts your session.
- Switch to [skin name] skin, where [skin name] is either Half Dome or Glacier Point. Sierra Web switches to the selected background skin. Your background skin preference is stored in a browser cookie and can be erased by clearing your cookies.
When you start your session, Sierra Web displays a login form.
When you load the Sierra Web URL in your browser and the login page appears, Sierra Web begins using one of your concurrent sessions, regardless of whether you have entered your username and password. See Timing Out of a Session for further information.
- (SAML only) If your library has enabled SAML-based authentication for staff, select an authentication method. The button text for the two authentication methods is customizable during SAML implementation and therefore might vary.
- Enter your username and password, and click Login.
Signing Out of Sierra Web
Because Sierra Web limits the number of concurrent sessions your library can have, it is important to sign out each time after using Sierra Web. If you close the browser window without signing out, Sierra Web continues your session until the system times you out.
To sign out of Sierra Web:
- Select File | Exit.
- Click Yes when prompted. Sierra Web signs you out of your session.
Timing Out of a Session
Sierra Web automatically signs you out after the keyboard timeout period for your login expires. If you do not have a timeout enabled for your login, Sierra Web signs you out after 24 hours of inactivity. The system continues to use one of your concurrent sessions until you have timed out.
Innovative recommends setting a keyboard timeout period for Sierra Web logins. Relying on the 24-hour timeout can cause system memory issues, especially with higher numbers of simultaneous users.
Unlike the Sierra Desktop Application, Sierra Web times you out of a session even if you are in the middle of a transaction. For example, if you start the process of checking in an item but leave your workstation before finishing the transaction, Sierra Web signs you out when the timeout period expires.