Schools: How to import titles for school or district classroom libraries

Tags: Staff, Media Specialists, Class Libraries

Media specialists at the school or district level can add approved classroom library titles in bulk by importing a CSV file. Use a desktop or laptop computer to import your list. 

1. Format Your List

We highly recommend creating your CSV file in Google Sheets, without opening it in a program like Excel or Numbers, which frequently introduces formatting issues for ISBN numbers and special characters.

Your file must contain:

• A header row containing these exact words in the first four columns:

  • Title

  • Author

  • ISBN

  • Grade

• A title, author, and grade in every row (ISBNs are recommended, but not required)

• ISBNs formatted as a number or plain text only

• Grades formatted as ordinal numbers (or letters for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten): PK, K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Your file cannot contain:

• Content outside of the first four columns

• Any of the following punctuation:

  • Parentheses ( )

  • Commas , 

  • Semicolons ;

  • Slashes /

• More than 5,000 titles

Example:

MS and Admin Import Example.csv

2. Export Your List as a CSV File

Export the spreadsheet of your titles as a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file. In Google Sheets, you can do this by selecting File > Download > Comma Separated Values (.csv).

3. Import Your CSV File

In Beanstack, select Import, then choose the CSV file you just downloaded. Refresh the page to see the import’s progress.