Papers catalogue

Papers catalogue: who has worked on what, and where is the text

The papers catalogue brings together the work presented in lodge and the work still waiting to be. It answers a simple question, yet one that comes up again and again: who has worked on what, and where is the text? Each paper carries a title, an author, a degree, a short summary and, once published, the archived document that contains it.

Two tables, the whole heritage

“I want to know who has already delivered a paper on the symbolism of the mosaic pavement”

The catalogue is laid out in two tables, so that none of the lodge’s work is lost.

• Papers by lodge members: current members, past members, and the brethren and sisters who have passed to the Eternal East
• Retrospective entry: an older paper can be recorded under its author’s name even if he is no longer among us — it is the lodge’s heritage
• Papers by visitors: brethren and sisters from other lodges who came to present with you, shown with their lodge and their orient, so everyone knows where the work came from

A showcase for the lodge’s work

“I want my paper to be of use elsewhere, instead of gathering dust in a drawer”

The catalogue is not only a record of what has been presented: it says what exists, should anyone wish to have it presented. A brother or a sister declares there the work he or she is willing to come and deliver, at home or in another lodge. And when you are looking for a subject or a speaker for a meeting, you know what has already been written, at which degree, and by whom.

• Work keeps circulating: a paper delivered once stays visible and reusable, instead of ending with its single reading
• Offering yourself: an author flags the work he is ready to come and present elsewhere
• Knowing who to ask: papers by visitors carry their author’s lodge, orient and email address, precisely so that he can be contacted
• No sharing without consent: your catalogue stays with you. Announcing a paper to other lodges is optional, switched off by default, and requires two agreements — the author’s, paper by paper and revocable at any time, and the lodge’s
• An announcement, never the text: only published papers, up to the 3rd degree, are announced; what leaves is limited to the title, the summary, the author, his lodge and his orient. The text and the archived document stay with you, the contact published is your lodge secretary, and papers received arrive read-only

Visibility governed by degree

“I want to be certain a Master’s paper will never appear to an Apprentice”

This is the most important point of the module. Degree rules — and it is exactly the rule that already governs your archives, never a separate one. A document and the paper that carries it can therefore never give two different answers.

• No leaks: a paper of a higher degree appears neither in the list nor through a direct link
• A proposed paper stays discreet: until it is published, it is visible only to its author and to administrators
• The linked document follows the same discretion: it does not appear in other members’ archives while the paper is unpublished, and reappears there on publication
• A visitor’s email address appears only on the detail page, and only to those who need to make contact — never in the list

The document, without leaving the screen

“I want to attach my text to my paper without ten detours”

From the paper’s page, the document is either picked from the archives or uploaded from your computer — without changing page. A file uploaded this way joins your archives like any other document.

• Pick from existing archives or upload directly from your computer
• The reverse path works too: when uploading a document to the archives, attach it to an existing paper or create one on the spot
• The catalogue stores no file: it points to your archives, the only place where documents live

A clear life cycle

“I want to propose my work without it circulating before I have presented it”

Three states are enough to describe a paper’s life, from announcement to the lodge’s memory.

• Proposed: the work is announced, not yet presented. Visible to its author and to administrators
• Published: the paper has been presented, joins the catalogue and points to its archived document
• Archived: it leaves the catalogue, but the lodge keeps the record
• Deletion reserved for a data-entry mistake or a duplicate
• Administrators are notified of every new proposal, so it can be reviewed without delay

On the web and in the app

“I want to find a paper from my phone, between two meetings”

The catalogue is available on the website and in the mobile app: the same two tables, the detail page and the proposal form. The same visibility rules apply there — the app opens no door the website keeps shut.

Roles and permissions

The initiative is open to all, the act that commits the lodge stays reserved — the same balance as for applications.