ZIP/postal code lookup table should be moved to the database

[Galen Charlton]

It would be handy if the table used for the patron address-auto-populate by ZIP/postal code were stored in the database rather than in a text file on the app server -- and if there were a staff-accessible UI for updating it.

If this change were made, additional blue sky ideas to consider at the same time:

[1] For cases where a postal code is used by more than one city, adding a way for circ staff to select the appropriate one during patron registration.
[2] Adding scoping of the postal code table by OU, to control the visibility of selected entries and to allow libraries and systems to override the cities returned for a given ZIP code.

Another relevant bug for revamping this feature is bug 1196393.

Evergreen master

[Rogan Hamby (rogan-hamby)]

Because of the complex (messy?) ways that zip/postal codes map to actual towns should we look at some kind of in db structure that allows for duplication of zips that can map to multiple townships and scope them by org unit? Then, once the org unit the patron is registered for is entered it will map the zip/postal against those valid for that org unit.

E.g. we have one zip code that maps to two different townships in different adjacent counties (which happen to be our second level org units since we're county libraries).

[Garry Collum (gcollum)]

To point out how messy the ZIP/postal codes map to actual towns take a look a this: https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupResultsAction!input.action?resultMode=2&postalCode=41017

A structure in which we could map multiple ZIPs to towns would be desirable.

[Rogan Hamby (rogan-hamby)]

Unless someone else has designs I'm going to take a stab at this.