MapArc Library
Independent library catalogue, circulation, student profile and QR workflow for the MapArc ecosystem.
Solid choice
MapArc Library is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. Was last updated 2 hours ago, and scores 64/100 on our health check.
- Actively developed — last update 2 hours ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Not enough data yet.
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where MapArc Library stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| catalog | >100 |
| lending | #13 |
| library | >100 |
| qr | >100 |
About MapArc Library
From the official readme · v0.12.23Description
MapArc Library was originally created by Bob Stanley Gardner in 2026. It provides a frontend Librarian Desk and student Library profile.
Key workflows:
- Add a book manually or scan its ISBN, including the book language in the catalogue record.
- Create 1-100 physical copies in the same Add Book workflow.
- Automatically generate a permanent canonical MapArc Library Copy ID and matching QR for every physical copy.
- Immediately preview and print each newly created copy QR, or print all labels from the batch.
- Issue Book and Return Book are separate librarian tabs. Issue scans the physical-copy QR and student QR; Return needs only the physical-copy QR.
- Students verify ownership of their WordPress account email before librarian approval when email verification is enabled.
- Approved students receive a permanent Library Member ID and matching QR tied to their native WordPress user account.
- Optional automatic issue, pre-due, due-date, and overdue emails use WordPress wp_mail().
- Default loan period is 5 days.
- Bulk QR label printing can be filtered by added date, title, copy status, location, and print status.
[commons_library_desk]provides the protected frontend librarian interface.[commons_library_profile]provides the frontend student profile.- Optional MapArc Core integration is feature-detected and non-required.
An ISBN identifies a book title/edition. Lending uses the separate QR generated for each physical copy.
QR image rendering uses the copy of QRCode.js bundled with the plugin. Camera scanning uses the browser BarcodeDetector API when available. For Library QR codes on Safari/iPhone and other browsers without native QR decoding, the scanner uses the jsQR 1.4.0 compatibility fallback. Manual and hardware-scanner entry remain available.
External Services
MapArc Library does not require an external service for its catalogue, circulation, membership, reservations, QR rendering, or camera-scanning code. Email notifications are sent through the WordPress wp_mail() configuration chosen by the site owner. The plugin does not download executable JavaScript from a third-party CDN.
Privacy
MapArc Library stores Library membership details, borrowing history, reservation/token records, email-verification state, and Library staff department assignments in the WordPress database. Site administrators are responsible for configuring retention and privacy practices appropriate to their institution. Verification tokens are stored as HMAC values rather than plaintext tokens and expire after use or timeout.
Source Code and Build Process
MapArc Library ships its editable first-party PHP, JavaScript, and CSS directly in the plugin package. No build step is required to recreate those first-party assets. The bundled assets/vendor/qrcode.min.js file is third-party QRCode.js code used only for QR rendering; its provenance and license are documented in THIRD-PARTY-NOTICES.txt.
Installation
- Upload the
maparc-libraryfolder to/wp-content/plugins/, or install the plugin ZIP through Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin. Then activate MapArc Library. - Open the plugin-created
Library Deskpage while signed in as an Administrator or Librarian. - Choose
Add Books, enter/scan the book details, choose the number of physical copies, and save. - Print the generated copy QR labels immediately or use Bulk QR Labels later.
- Students use the plugin-created
My Librarypage to view their personal QR and current loans.
Frequently asked questions
Who created MapArc Library?
MapArc Library was originally created by Bob Stanley Gardner in 2026.
Does MapArc Library create separate student accounts?
No. It uses native WordPress users and adds Library membership, borrowing, verification, and reservation data to that identity.
Does MapArc Library require MapArc Core?
No. MapArc Core integration is optional and feature-detected.
Changelog
0.12.11
- Restored the Safari/iPhone Library QR camera-decoding fallback used by earlier releases.
- Native BarcodeDetector remains preferred when available; manual/hardware entry remains available.
- No student registration/password changes.
0.12.9
- Fixed book editing so Edit opens a distinct pre-populated edit state instead of the Add Book form.
- Preserved catalogue search context when opening and saving edits.
- Kept department-scoped editing authorization intact.
0.12.6
- Catalogue now opens with the book collection already visible in an alphabetically sorted, scrollable list.
- Added instant type-ahead filtering: title-prefix matches are prioritised as the librarian types, with author/ISBN/language fallback matching.
- Removed the Catalogue Search/Clear submit controls; clearing the field restores the full visible collection immediately.
0.12.5
- Added Memberships Approved to individual librarian statistics and Head Librarian Staff Activity reporting.
- Uses the existing membership approval audit fields, so no database schema change is required.
0.12.4
- Reworked the Library Desk branding as a compact, intentional white logo card instead of attempting transparency on the raster logo.
- Reduced the logo footprint and tightened the Desk hero spacing while preserving librarian identity, personal statistics, and the default-loan policy.
0.12.3
- Simplified the front-end Library Desk hero so the WordPress page title is not repeated inside the plugin panel.
- Removed redundant MapArc Library text from the Desk hero when the MapArc Library logo is already displayed.
- Updated the bundled MapArc Library logo asset with a transparent background for seamless placement on the Desk panel.
- Kept librarian identity, personal activity statistics, default-loan policy, Catalogue, and Head Librarian Staff Activity functionality unchanged.
For developers
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Best MapArc Library alternatives
All catalog plugins →
FAQ
MapArc Library: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Is MapArc Library free?
Yes. MapArc Library is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is MapArc Library safe to use in 2026?
MapArc Library is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. Was last updated 2 hours ago, and scores 64/100 on our health check.
How many websites use MapArc Library?
MapArc Library is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 13 times since it launched in September 2026. It was downloaded 18 times in the last 30 days.
Does MapArc Library work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested MapArc Library up to WordPress 7.1.2, the latest release. It requires WordPress 6.5 or newer.
What PHP version does MapArc Library need?
MapArc Library requires PHP 8.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was MapArc Library last updated?
The latest version, 0.12.23, was released on September 27, 2026 (2 hours ago).
Who makes MapArc Library?
MapArc Library is developed and maintained by bobstanleygardner.
What are the best alternatives to MapArc Library?
The most popular alternatives to MapArc Library are eCommerce Product Catalog (7K+ installs), Ultimate Product Catalog (4K+ installs) and External Store for Shopify (2K+ installs).
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