Masquerade Mode
With these settings, you can:
- Enable masquerade mode for specific admin users
- Control whether users in masquerade mode can view patron reading history
This optional setting allows staff with the Masquerade permissions to act as other users and see their account information within Aspen.
For example, this can be useful for staff who need to assist patrons over the phone, such as when walking them through how to access information in their account or performing actions as the patron. When using Masquerade, you will never have to ask a patron for their PIN/password -- the only information you need is their library card number.
Using Masquerade Mode
While masquerading as a user, you can:
- View account pages
- Place and modify holds
- Renew checkouts
- Update preferences and contact information (if applicable)
- View reading history (only if this setting has been enabled and the patron has opted into recording reading history)
- View recommendations and rate titles
- View and create lists
- Manage materials requests*
In some cases, the patron must log into Aspen first before a staff member can fully perform all masquerading tasks - such as managing purchase suggestions.
Go to Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > Library Systems > click into the library system > ILS/Account Integration > Masquerade Mode > Masquerade Mode Automatic Timeout Length
Specify an amount of time, in seconds, to have Masquerade automatically time out. This will ensure that the masquerade mode will end so that staff cannot mistakenly perform actions on the patron's account.
The most common timeout length is 120
If no timeout length is set, there will be a timeout of 15 minutes of inactivity. The page will automatically refresh upon the ending of the session.
Libraries can choose to have Masquerade Mode enabled for certain IP addresses so that the functionality is limited to only work within the library.
To enable this, first go to Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > Library Systems > click into the library system > ILS/Account Integration > Masquerade Mode > Allow Masquerade Mode > Allowed from enabled IP addresses
Next, go to Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > IP Addresses > click into the IP address settings > check Allow Masquerade
This is also something you can update in batches for libraries with multiple IP Addresses by using the Batch Update Selected or Batch Update All buttons underneath the listed IP Addresses.
Then, select Allow Masquerade from the dropdown.
Please keep ByWater-related IP Addresses with Allow Masquerade Mode checked so that we can troubleshoot tickets.
Evergreen, Koha, Polaris, Sierra, or Symphony: Staff can masquerade as users regardless of whether or not they've previously logged into Aspen.
Evolve: The user must have already logged into Aspen before staff can masquerade as the user. Otherwise, you will receive an error when trying to masquerade as the user.
Libraries can choose if staff are able to see Reading History in Masquerade Mode. By default, this is turned off. To check your settings, go to Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > Library Systems > click into the library system > ILS/Account Integration > Masquerade Mode > Allow Display of Reading History in Masquerade Mode
With this option enabled, Administrative staff using Masquerade Mode will be able to see a patron's reading history if the patron has opted in to recording their history.
If you'd like to restrict certain patron types from allowing staff to masquerade as them (exp: We don't want staff masquerading as staff), then you can set this in Aspen Administration > Primary Configuration > Patron Types > click into the patron type you do not want to allow the masquerading of > check Restrict masquerade from accessing patrons of this type.
Next, we recommend for your general staff, you make sure they have this permission assigned in System Administration > Permissions: Masquerade as unrestricted patron types.
For Full Admin, you might want to give them the permission: Masquerade as any user.