Aeries CS contained a module for managing textbooks at individual schools that served Users for many years. With the development of Aeries Web, the need was seen to have an Asset Management system that could be used for all District Assets, not just textbooks. This is now the standard system used and includes Textbook management. There are, however, significant differences in the Aeries Web District Assets compared to the Aeries CS Textbook management. This article may help recently converted districts to understand how to manage their Textbooks within District Assets.
The main difference between the two systems is textbooks are considered another asset, along with computers, laptops, tablets, desks, phones, etc., and all Assets are owned by the District, not the School. Each textbook title is a District-owned Resource and there are multiple copies (Items) of that Resource, each with it's own Barcode assigned by the District. The textbooks can then be assigned to Schools and then to Teachers/Students. In Aeries CS, each School assigned their own Barcodes and there was the potential of having the same Barcode number at different schools. In District Assets, the Barcodes are unique across the District for ALL assets and can never be reused.
These differences mean there are some functionalities of Aeries CS that are no longer used and are not available in Aeries Web. The remaining Textbook-specific reports and functions of Aeries CS have migrated to more generic Asset Reports and functions. The following chart shows which Textbook reports/functions are part of District Assets and the comparable name.
Aeries CS name | District Assets name |
| Display and Update Textbooks | Resources/Assets page |
| Textbook Assignments by Textbook | Quick Asset Information Lookup page |
| Textbook Assignments by Student | Student Assets page |
| Textbook Assignments by Teacher | Staff Assets page |
| Textbook Copy Info Lookup | Quick Asset Information Lookup page |
| Textbook Fines by Student | Student Asset Fees page |
| Reports | |
| Print Textbook Title Information | Asset Details |
| Print Textbook Copy Information | Asset Items |
| Print Textbooks Checked Out to Students | Assets Checked Out to Students / N Per Page / Vertical |
| Print Textbooks Checked Out to Teachers | Assets Checked Out to Staff |
| Print All Textbook Fines Paid or Not Paid | Print Fees by Student |
| Print Textbooks Checked Out by Textbook Title | Asset Items |
| Print Students Textbook Handouts | Print Assets Checked Out To Students |
| Print Textbook Release Form by Teacher | Asset Release Form by Teacher |
| Print Checked Out Textbooks by Class | Print Asset Course Listing |