Sierra May 2026 (6.6) Release Notes

Record History for Item and Volume Records

Sierra now includes Record History for item and volume records—providing visibility into recent creation and update activity, similar to existing bib record history.

Key Enhancements

• View recent edits—including location changes—with details on action, user, and date/time

• Access from the Record History button on the summary tab or via right‑click > View Record History

• Displays up to 1 create and 5 update events in the Sierra staff client

• Once Vega Reports is released, the record history will be sent daily to Vega Reports for long‑term reporting

• Supports activity tracking for Lyngsoe IMMS workflows

Permissions & Configuration

• New permissions:

  • 795 – View Item Record History

  • 796 – View Volume Record History

New Permission for Managing Notices Jobs

Sierra now includes a new authorization that gives libraries more control over who can Create, Update, and Delete Notices Jobs.

Highlights

• New permission: 403 – Edit Notices

  • Required to create, edit, or delete Notices Jobs

  • Can be assigned or removed in the Admin App

• Users without permission 403:

  • Cannot create, edit, or delete Notices Jobs

  • Can still prepare notices and adjust the printer during preparation

  • Any changes made during preparation are not saved to the Notices Job

• Existing users with Notices permissions 351-362 and 394-402 automatically receive the new 403 permission during upgrade; administrators may update permissions as needed.

Booking Now Respects Patron Blocks With Override Options

This release improves the Sierra Bookings module by ensuring that patron blocks apply consistently across checkouts, holds, and bookings. Library staff can now clearly see why a patron is blocked from creating a booking and—when allowed—override the block using the same trusted workflow used for hold overrides.

These enhancements make booking policies more transparent for staff and ensure that Sierra enforces your library’s circulation rules consistently.

Customizable SAML Login Page

System administrators can now fully customize the SAML login form without needing assistance from Support or Professional Services. The new configuration tools allow you to tailor:

• Messages and text

• Logos and branding

• Colors, button styles, and CSS

Customizations are made in the new custom_messages.properties file, available through Web Master → SAML Configuration (requires Web Master permission). Changes take effect after restarting the CAS server.

This enhancement gives libraries faster, easier control over the look and feel of their authentication experience.

Updates to the Scoping Menu

The Scoping Menu screen in the Sierra Staff Client now displays Line Numbers, making it easier to create and manage scoped WebPAC URLs (e.g., ~S2). These identifiers have been restored to support established workflows when configuring scoped pages. We also improved readability in the Scoping Menu by adjusting column spacing and right‑aligning numeric columns.

Catalog Database Status Now Available in the Admin App

You can now access Catalog Database Status directly within the Sierra Admin App. This enhancement brings familiar metrics—such as patron searches, requests, heading changes, and fixed‑field counts—into a more convenient, visually aligned interface. Look for it under Back End Management → System Information. Admin Corner continues to work as before.

Circulation Status Now Available in the Admin App

We’ve made it easier for library staff to view circulation activity in Sierra by bringing the Circulation Status feature directly into the Sierra Admin App. This enhancement provides a more convenient and visually integrated way to access the same information previously available only in Admin Corner.

Manage SCAT tables in the Sierra client

We’ve added a new Group call numbers feature in Sierra that makes it easier to manage how call number ranges are organized for statistical reporting. You can now create and edit SCAT (Statistical Categories) tables directly in the Sierra client—no need to switch to Admin Corner.

Highlights:

• Manage call number ranges for Dewey, LC, or free‑form schemes.

• Add, edit, sort, and print SCAT table entries.

• View and update table names and index tags.

• See who is currently editing a SCAT table if it’s locked.

• Use a new Refresh option to reload table data when needed.

This enhancement gives you a clearer, more streamlined way to set up statistical categories based on your library’s call number structure.

Permissions Required

To use this feature, a staff member must have:

• Permission 32 — System codes

Add Group Call Numbers to staff workflows as needed.

Add permission 32 (System codes) to staff logins as needed.

Scope Authority Records Now Available in the Sierra Client

We’ve enhanced Sierra by moving the Scope Authority Records (SAR) functionality from Admin Corner into the Sierra desktop client. This update makes it easier for your staff to maintain authority record scoping and gives you better visibility into the process as it runs.

Authority record scoping is not updated automatically in Sierra, so running this process periodically helps keep your authority data accurate and up to date.

Administrator Setup

A library administrator will need to:

1. Open the Admin App.

2. Navigate to Auth → Workflows → Edit → Functions.

3. Add Scope Authority Records to the appropriate workflow.

4. Assign that workflow to staff who should be able to run the process.

Permissions Required

To use this feature, a staff member must have:

• Permission 13 — Maintain scopemenu / Scope authorities

Add Scope Authority Records to staff workflows as needed.

Add permission 13 (Maintain scopemenu / Scope authorities) to staff logins as needed.

Maintain Record Links in the Admin Menu in the SDA

The Maintain Record Links job is now available directly from the Admin menu in the Sierra staff client, with a clearer, modern interface. Libraries can easily rearrange attached records, update bibliographic record locations, or perform both tasks at once—all without using the character-based system. The updated workflow includes improved permission handling, required range selection, simplified options, and real-time status updates as the job runs. This enhancement makes it faster and easier to keep record locations clean and consistent across your collection.

Permissions Required

To use this feature, a staff member must have:

• Permission 27 — Maintain record links

Staff without this permission:

• will still see the menu option, but

• will be prompted to sign in as a different user before continuing.

Daily Record Link Maintenance in the Sierra Client

Daily Record Link Maintenance is now available directly in the Sierra client—no more accessing Admin Corner for this task. This update makes it easier for staff to update linked location information for recently changed bibliographic records. Sierra automatically tracks which bibs were updated, and authorized users can now run maintenance jobs and view recent activity from a simple in‑client interface.

Permissions Required

To use Daily Record Link Maintenance, staff must have the permission:

• Permission 27 — Maintain record links

Staff without this permission:

• will still see the menu option, but

• will be prompted to sign in as a different user before continuing.

Enhancements to System Information in Sierra Admin

We’re improving the System Information area in the Sierra Admin App based on valuable feedback from our beta partners. These enhancements make it easier to find key system details that many libraries check regularly, such as software version, release date, and recent system activity.

Permissions Required

• Anyone who already has permission to view System Information in Sierra Admin will automatically see the new tab.

• No additional setup or permissions required.

WebPAC Accessibility Improvement: Session Timeout Controls

(WCAG 2.0 – 2.2.1 Timing Adjustable)

WebPAC now includes an accessible session‑timeout warning that helps users avoid losing their work unexpectedly. A new {timeout} token adds a standard popup that alerts users before their session expires and lets them easily extend it. This enhancement improves compliance with WCAG 2.0 Timing Adjustable guidelines and is included in the updated WebPAC example sets.

Improved Handling of Rapido Pickup Location Data

Sierra now provides better support for Rapido item-level hold transactions when the pickup location field contains incomplete colon‑delimited data. If Rapido sends only 3 or 4 fields, Sierra automatically fills in any missing values with helpful placeholder text so staff can still process the request:

• For 3 fields: Sierra adds

  • “No print name provided”

  • “No delivery stop provided”

• For 4 fields: Sierra adds

  • “No delivery stop provided”

If Rapido sends fewer than three fields, Sierra treats the transaction as invalid and logs an error to both syserr and rapido.log.

Accessibility improvements in Sierra Desktop Application (SDA)

Clearer Labels and Screen Reader Support

We’ve made a series of updates across Sierra to improve accessibility and ensure a smoother experience for users who rely on screen readers such as NVDA or JAWS. These changes support compliance with WCAG 2.x guideline 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value, which requires that buttons, form fields, checkboxes, and other interactive elements communicate their purpose clearly to assistive technologies.

These enhancements do not change visible layouts or require any configuration. They simply make Sierra easier to use and understand for all users—including those using screen readers.

Web Management Reports Now Enforce Default Permissions

Web Management Reports (WMR) now consistently require the appropriate default Sierra permissions for access. Previously, some reports could run without authorization due to a legacy behavior. With this update, all reports—including the INN‑Reach Patron Report, which now requires permission 17—follow the documented security model, ensuring clearer, more consistent access control across your reporting tools. Default permissions are documented at Using Web Management Reports in the Sierra online help.

More Secure Error Pages in Sierra Admin App

Sierra Admin App now shows a generic, non‑technical error message when something goes wrong, instead of displaying stack traces or server details. This protects sensitive system information and aligns with security best practices.

New message shown on unexpected errors: “Something went wrong. Try that again, and if it still doesn’t work, please let us know.”

No action required—everyday workflows are unchanged, and detailed diagnostics are still recorded in backend logs for administrators and Support.

Simplified Certificate Updates with updatecert

You can now update SSL/TLS certificates across your Sierra environment with a single, supported command. The new updatecert / iiictl updatecert utility places certs in the correct locations for the App, DB, and Encore servers, uses the proper filenames automatically, and restarts services so changes take effect immediately.

Highlights

• One command updates certs on App (webpac.crt), DB (sierra.crt), and Encore (encore.crt) servers.

• Copies CRTs to screens directories where appropriate (no keys in screens).

• Honors paths from darcconfig.xml or falls back to safe defaults.

• Optional quiet mode and automatic service restarts reduce downtime and errors.

Hosted customers can request updates via Support; on‑prem admins can run the tool directly with OS‑level privileges.

Automatic Notice File Refresh After Upgrades

Under normal operations, Sierra runs processes at midnight to prepare the day’s overdue and courtesy notices. If a Sierra upgrade is in progress at midnight, that processing is missed and will cause Auto Notices not to run because it sees that normal overnight processing has not occurred.

Sierra will now automatically run the midnight notice-related processing at the end of an upgrade (or at first startup afterward) to refresh the overdue and courtesy notice files. No action is required—your notice workflows will stay up‑to‑date and reliable after every upgrade.

This change applies to background processing only. Auto Notices will run only at its normal scheduled time.

SDA Support for macOS Tahoe

The Sierra Desktop App is now officially supported on macOS Tahoe. A new Tahoe‑compatible installer is available in the standard SDA download location, allowing library staff to install and run the SDA on Apple’s latest operating system.

SDA performance on Tahoe matches our validated benchmarks from macOS Sequoia.

macOS Tahoe support begins with Sierra 6.6.

Sierra Now Uses PostgreSQL 16

Sierra has been upgraded to PostgreSQL 16, providing improved performance, enhanced security, and increased system stability. This change is completely behind the scenes—there are no changes to workflows or features—but it ensures Sierra continues to operate on a modern, fully supported database platform.

Tomcat Upgrade to Improve Security & Stability

Sierra now runs on Apache Tomcat 9.0.111, delivering important behind‑the‑scenes improvements to system security, stability, and performance. This infrastructure update has no impact on existing workflows or features, but ensures Sierra continues to operate on a modern, fully supported platform.