CHAPTER 1

PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

A library is a collection of informational sources and other resources that are

made available to a specific community for the purpose of use as a reference or for

borrowing. Therefore, the process of manually managing a library is one that is fraught

with difficulties and cumbersome in nature. According to this point of view, the

computerized system for managing the activities of library management offers an all-

encompassing method to lessen the amount of physical labor required, to reduce the

complexity of the manual system, and to make the process faster. The objective of this

project is to develop a computerized library management system and put it into

operation. The Netbeans IDE, the Java programming language, and the derby database

were used in the development and implementation of the library management system.

The primary objective of the library system is to collect, store, organize, retrieve, and

make available to the users of the information any information sources that are

requested by the users of the information.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A library can be defined as an organized collection of information sources that

are made available to members of the public. Depending on the type of information, the

library may hold it either physically or in a digital format. Access was typically granted in

the reading room of the library during earlier times; however, as technology advanced,

access was increasingly granted online (Dinesh et al.,2015). The library is an organism
that is expanding at a rapid rate. The antiquated practices used to maintain it are not as

dynamic and effective as they once were. The application of contemporary techniques

has developed into an absolute necessity in order to facilitate the speedy retrieval and

dissemination of information as well as improved service for the clientele (Neelakandan

et al., 2010). The following are some of the categories that can be used to classify

libraries: academic libraries, corporate libraries, government libraries (such as national

libraries), historical society libraries, private libraries, public libraries, school libraries,

special libraries, digital libraries, picture (photograph) libraries, slide libraries, tool

libraries, architectural libraries, fine arts libraries, medical libraries, and theological

libraries, among other categories.

The subfield of institutional management known as library management focuses

on the unique challenges that are specific to libraries and the professionals who work in

library management. Normal management responsibilities, as well as concerns

regarding intellectual freedom, resistance to censorship, and fundraising efforts, are

included in library administration. Issues that must be addressed in the management of

libraries frequently overlap those that must be addressed in the management of

nonprofit organizations (Sharma et al.,2005). The Library Management System is an

application that depicts library systems that are typically on the smaller or more

moderate side in terms of size. Through the utilization of a computerized system that

enables the librarian to record various transactions such as the lending of books, the

retrieval of books, the addition of new books, and the addition of new students, etc., this

tool is utilized by the librarian in order to manage the library in a systematic manner
(Ashutosh and Ashish., 2011). 3 Books and user maintenance modules are also

included in this system, which would keep track of the users who are using the library as

well as a detailed description about the books that a library possesses. This system

would also be included in a library management system. Because it is computerized,

there will be no loss of book record or member record when using this system, which is

something that frequently occurs when a system that is not computerized is used.

Additionally, the report module is incorporated into the Library Management System as

a standard component. If the user's position is admin, the user has the ability to

generate various reports, such as lists of users registered, lists of books, and issue and

return reports. Other types of reports include: When compared to library management

systems that are not computerized, all of these modules have the capability of assisting

librarians in managing the library in a manner that is both more convenient and more

productive. This system is going to be developed and designed to assist librarians in

recording every book transaction, with the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating

the problem of books and files going missing from the library.

PROJECT CONCEPT

Software that regulates and manages all aspects of how a library operates is

referred to as a library management system. It is helpful for librarians to keep records of

new books together with books that members have borrowed and the dates on which

those books are due back. This system will completely handle all of the activities that

take place in your library. Utilizing library management software is the most effective

method for monitoring, organizing, and managing a substantial quantity of books and
other volumes. A library management system is utilized so that records of the library

may be tracked and maintained. In addition to that, it maintains a record of the number

of books in the library, the number of books that are checked out, the number of books

that are returned, and the amount of money that is charged for overdue books. You are

able to locate books in an instant, publish and reissue books in a timely manner, and

effectively manage all of the data.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Presently, transactions of books in the institutional libraries have been done

manually in most cases, thereby taking more time for transactions like borrowing of

books or return of books and also searching for members and books. Series of

problems occur as a result of this thereby resulting in inefficient library management. In

most cases as a result of human error there may be loss and damages of records due

to not using a computerized system in the library. Nevertheless, the difficulty in the

searching of books which could be termed to be inadequacy in book Management is a

problem in the manual library thereby causing inefficiency and time consuming in the

library. Also, the problem of space consuming erupts after the number of records

becomes large. The space for physical storage of file and records also increases if no

computerized system is implemented as well as the issue of cost.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The aim of this project is to develop a system that can handle and manage the

activities involved in a library in an efficient and reliable way. 

The objectives are:

  i. Designing a computerized library management system which would help

evacuate the problem faced in manual libraries.

 ii. Implementing the system.

 iii. Evaluating and testing the performance of the system.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

System will
Login and input display the
Transfer and
the student and information of
save the
books the books in the
information to
information system and the
the database.
information of
the borrower.

Figure 1

EXISTING AND PROPOSED SYSTEM

The Existing System is the available Online Library Management System

requires the librarians to maintain the details of each book on the registers. As a result,

in order to determine the number of books that are currently available in the library, the

librarians need to physically go through and check each entry, which makes the process

more time consuming. While doing so requires an additional hour of their time, they
must keep the books and records in order. Students who are interested in learning more

about a particular book in the library are required to conduct a search throughout the

entire book area. The student is responsible for verifying the book's status, which

includes determining its expiration date and the number of copies that have been

distributed.

The Proposed System is the students and the librarian would have an easier time

managing the details of the library if the project to create an online library management

system is implemented. It will be an assistance to the librarian before there is a

shortage of books while they have access to the system, which will allow them to know

the specifics of the number of books that are now available in the library according to

the author. A student is able to view the specifics of the book that was given to them by

the library, and the system will provide them with information regarding the closing date

for book returns. The student will be advised by the system about other writers of a

similar book when they are checking out a book from the library. This will allow the

student to select the best book that is currently available from the library.

SCOPE
The final output of this project will be a Library Management System that will be

capable of fully automating all of the primary library processes. The initial part of the

system is that administrators can maintain tabs on who is authorized to use the system.

Second, registering new books in the library management system allows the

admin to keep track of when new volumes are added to the collection.
 The user's primary concern is addressed by the third component of the system,

which is a borrowing and returning of books. end users consist of admin, students, and

librarian.