About alerts and notifications
Alerts are brief messages that are sent to mobile app users or displayed within the app. There are three types of alerts you can manage from the Alerts/Notifications area:
You can also set a branch-specific alert called an alert notice, which will display in a highlighted text box in the details for the branch on the Library Information and Library Details pages until you remove or change it; this can be used to make patrons aware of current circumstances that are impacting the branch. For more information, see Alert notice.
Alerts
Scheduled alerts can be created in the Staff Dashboard and are used to notify patrons about library-related topics such as emergency closures, updates on hours, book sales, events, and more. To send a scheduled alert to users, you will first need to create an alert type in the Dashboard to categorize it. Then, you can create and send individual alerts of that type.
Alerts will only be seen once by the patron. Once an alert has been viewed, the patron will not be prompted again.
To trigger an alert to appear on a device:
- Android devices - Alerts will be run only on the launch of the mobile app.
- iOS devices - Alerts will run on the launch of the mobile app and if the patron returns to the home screen. For example, if a user launches the app prior to an alert being sent, they will receive the alert if they go back to the home screen or re-launch the app.
Account notifications
Account notifications are automatically generated and relate specifically to user account information, including overdue items, hold pickups, and fines/fees. Account notifications are delivered as push notifications directly to a user's notification center on their device, ensuring that they will be received even if a user does not have their CapiraMobile app open or running in the background.
Notes about account notifications:
- Account notifications are sent every 12 hours
- Clicking on a notification automatically opens the user's CapiraMobile app on their device
- Users must opt-in to receive push notifications for the CapiraMobile app on their device. To opt-in to notifications, users will need to go to their device settings and enable notifications for their CapiraMobile app
- To receive account notifications, users must have the latest version of your CapiraMobile app installed and be logged in
Library banner
When your library adds a Banner alert/notification in the Staff Dashboard, the text is shown prominently on the Welcome screen so your patrons can see timely announcements. You can use the banner to:
- Surface announcements (closures, events, etc.) directly on the Welcome screen without requiring a second push notification
- Provide time-sensitive messages that patrons will see at app launch