def import_directory(self, datadir):
        """ import a JSON directory into the database """

        def json_stream():
            # load all json, mapped by json_id
            for fname in glob.glob(os.path.join(datadir, self._type + '_*.json')):
                with open(fname) as f:
                    yield json.load(f)

        return self.import_data(json_stream())