Help, a whole part of my online group library seems to be deleted!

IngeRoman
Hello,
We have a group since 2016: The IAO Farasyn Library.
Suddenly the whole library online library is erased, except for 1 titel.
In my desktop Zotero all files are still in, but I closed it, afraid of a sync that would erase that too. We are normally just 3 admins and all others are members, but I see now that up to 40 members are admin, no idea how this happened.
What is the best I can do?
  • dstillman
    Those admins were added last August — couldn't tell you by whom at this point.

    But it looks like someone was able to restore the group, I assume with Replace Online Library?
  • IngeRoman
    Thank you for responding.
    I have found files in the trash bin and recovered it, but this is just a part, the folder 'The IAO Farasyn Library - Ghent' .
    The most important part is still gone: 'Digital IAO Farasyn Library'.
    I was checking in my desktop zotero and while doing so the disappeared and ended up in a 'unfiled items' folder. I tried to put them back, but the files are back but without attached pdf. So my desktop zotero is also messed up now.
    Is there a function 'replace online library'? Is that on the desktop zotero. But now that my desktop version is also incomplete, this has no use I think. SOmething else I could do?
  • dstillman
    edited July 3, 2023
    See Restoring From the Last Automatic Backup. If attachments are still inaccessible after that, we may be able to automatically reassociate them.
  • dstillman
    And, obviously, you should remove all the people who aren't supposed to be admins. Usually this happens when someone is trying to clear storage space and gets (very) confused.
  • IngeRoman
    Hello, thank you for the reply. I managed with your info to restore my desktop library. But, we cannot change the roles of the members.
    I did following steps:
    - I changed the role in the drop down next to the name from 'admin' to 'member'
    - I clicked the bottom 'update roles' at the end of the list

    Going out of the group and after entering again to check the role, the names still have the admin role. The 'owner' of the library 'iao_logistics', my colleague, did the same, but also with no success.

    How is this possible?
    There are 2 people who need admin functions: myself: IngeRoman and another colleague krobbens. And iao_logistics as owner.

    Thank you for your help.

  • dstillman
    OK, sorry, the member management interface didn't anticipate a group with as many members as this. Try again now.
  • IngeRoman
    Yes, it works now. Thank you very much.
    And we will mange the members soon to have less.
    I want to restore the library now from my desktop and I found the “Replace Online Library” option in the preference settings but, I cannot choose a library. The dropdown is empty. The main purpose here is to restore the group library 'The IAO Farasyn Library'. Will that happen when I push the reset bottom?
    Thank you so much for your help.
  • dstillman
    Restart Zotero and check that pane again. If the drop-down is still empty, can you take a screenshot, upload it somewhere (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), and provide a link here, and also provide a Report ID?
  • IngeRoman
    Dear dstillman,
    I was on vacation and did not have the possibility to test your solution until now.
    It seems to work well. I want to thank you for your prompt and accurate help.
    In a time like this it is rather rare, so thank you very much!
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