1

1. INTRODUCTION

Our aim is to design self-sufficient software for a library

management system. The software must be extendable, easily
maintainable, cost-effective, robust, user-friendly and errorless. Let us
discuss the objective in detail, on comparing it with the existing systems .

2. PROBLEM STATEMENT

It is very important to maintain efficient software to handle

information of a Library. This application provides a way to record
this information and to access these in a simple way.

2.1. SYSTEM STUDY

2.1.1. EXISTING SYSTEMS

The existing systems provide the basic functionalities needed

to be handled in a library management environment. There is no
intelligence of the software in such cases. The software is designed
in such a way that the user individual enters all the details including
the date and such common things, which could be automatically
generated by the system itself. Moreover the consistency of the
data is not checked. Whatever the user enters, it is stored in the file
or database, i.e. the data is just stored and not processed by the
system. There are also many loopholes when we look at the
security of the system. These are the main disadvantages of the
existing systems that are overcome in the proposed mode l.

2.1.2. PROPOSED SYSTEM

The proposed system has many advantages and additional

features, when compared with the existing systems. In spite of
using files or database for storage, we use the linked list data
structure to handle the data, because of its advantage of fast
insertion and deletion. Every time the data need not be stored and
 2

retrieved from the database until it is said to do so. Certain actions

are automated, for example, the date need not be entered explicitly
by the user but instead the system adds it automatically while
storing the data. The reminders, frequent updating of data is
handled by the system on own, hence saving time. One more
advantage of this newly proposed system is that the data is
processed before storage, i.e. checked for the correctness. Say if
the book which is not available is tried to be issued, then the
system doesn’t allow that to happen. Another example, say, trying
to returning a book which is not issued and renewing a book which
is already renewed are illegal, which are not allowed by this system
to occur on constant monitoring and checking.

2.2. SCOPE

This software, which has a lot of additional features, is in no

doubt is a better option based on the existing software used for
library management. With a few more enhancements in both
software and a few hardware add-ons, this software would
become the next generation software in the hospital management
environment.

3. FEATURES
3.1. GENERAL FEATURES

3.1.1. Administrator login

By choosing the option - “administrator”, the administrator
can login into his access part. By choosing the option –
“others”, you can log-in into the normal employee type
account provided for you respectively.

 Enter the option “log-in” to enter into the login

window
 Enter the password (if provided).

3.1.2. Employee details

 3

The administrator can view the employee details by entering

the appropriate employee’s id.
 Enter the option provided to view the employee
details.
 Enter the employee’s id.
 The employee’s profile is displayed.

3.1.3 New Employee

The administrator can appoint new employee using this option
provided.

 Enter the new employee option.

 Enter the id for the employee.
 Answer for the general details asked.
 Save the profile using appropriate option.

3.1.3 Salary details

The salary details can be viewed and updated respectively by the

administrator. If necessary it can be hidden as confidential data
by administrator.
 Enter the option for salary details.
 Salary details for each category are displayed.
 You can edit salary by selecting “edit” option
provided.
 Don’t forget to update the changes made using
the appropriate option (however the application
asks for it automatically).
 4

3.1.4. Issue of Books.

The employee in-charge will take care of issuing the books to

the users.
 Enter the id of the member.
 Enter the option issue for books.
 Check for dues if any.
 Issue the book by entering the return date.

3.1.5. Return of Books.

The book return process can be done by using the option

provided for the same purpose in the application.
 Choose the option for return of books.
 Enter the users’ id.
 Enter the book id, which to be returned.
 If there are dues, check for it and return the
book.

3.1.6. Payment

If the payment option is entered, the users’ id is asked.

 Enter the users’ id.
 The users’ account fine amount will be shown.
 You can add charges or pay fine by choosing
the appropriate option.

3.1.7. Book details

 5

The users will check for the book information and member
details.
 Choose the book details option.
 Enter the book name or author name to be
searched.
 The total number of Books with the requested
string as the part of theirs or the authors
name will be displayed.

3.1.7. User/Member details.

The members’ details can be viewed using the appropriate

option provided.

 Enter the member’ details option.

 Enter the members’ id.
 The general information about the user
including the books info issued currently and
the return date for each with fine overdue will
be shown.

3.2. UNIQUE FEATURES

3.2.1 Message Remainder

The remainder messages are generated by the system to the

specific users, based upon their pre-determined actions or on their
appointments (like reservation of books etc.)
› Automatically generated by system, based on available
data.
› This feature can be switched-off by the user if not
interested.
› Deletion of messages automatically after it is read or
certain time.
 6

3.2.2. Advanced Search

The case file history of various members can be searched or even

compared for similarities. Different kinds of filters can also be
used.
› Enter the users’ id or name to be searched. The results
are displayed accordingly.
› If filters (for eg. only men or only users below 20 yrs etc.)
are used, then the ids of those members are only
displayed.
› Comparisons can also be made, which is a special
feature, by using the filter – ‘find similar files’, and
providing any one members’ name.

3.2.3. Automatic Data Enhancement

As said earlier, data like date need not be explicitly mentioned by

user, except in case of searching. Instead, the system stores the data
along with the message automatically, i.e. it is an in-built functionality.

4. ARCHITECTURE
Select normal or book
Enter book details bank
Select type of
search
 7

Select advanced
search Results displayed
Enter
necessary
details to
search

Issue/return/ Enter details

renew of Books
or pay fine

Add Transactions
Account member/employee made
log-in

Name & Details Log-out

password entered displayed

5. DATA COLLECTION FROM REALTIME

 8

The application designed must be consistent. So, the data entered is

checked for consistency before saving it in the database. For example, if
the value in the age column is not within the bounds specified by
administrator, or says if it is negative, then it is non-consistent. Similarly
all the data entered is checked for consistency before being stored in the
database.
Apart from these precautionary, since human nature is to make mistakes, if
the user enters wrong information, that could not be checked, say for
example – name, then it could be found by the system.

7. IMPLEMENTATION

Platform Used: JAVA

Database: Oracle / Microsoft Access

8. CONCLUSION

We have proposed a more modern and advanced model for a library

management system, with many additional useful features. The system is
authenticated, i.e. password protected. If needed further security
measures can be carried out. This proposed model provides a better
solution for the present days increased needs of a library management
system.

9.FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS

The future work would mainly concentrate on the additional features and
users, thereby extending the domain of the application. If possible this
application should be made able to function with the other external
applications, like external banking transactions etc. Biometric security
measures would enhance the systems security.