Automated Library Management System

An Automated Library Management System; Eradicating the Old Styled Libraries

An Automated Library Management System; Eradicating the Old Styled Libraries
Sundus Tahir [e-mail] Iman Noor [e-mail] Tasbiha Sajjad [e-mail] Tanzeela Arif [e-mail] Farwa Yaqoob [e-mail]

Fatima Jinnah Women University, The Mall, Rawalpindi.
Abstract The paper discusses briefly the Automated Library Management System, which is designed to provide a systematic system for those libraries where there is still old; paper and card system. The intuition for this system was the observations done in the libraries which had the old card and paper system. By considering the students’ opinions regarding the difficulties they face in order to search a book from their respective institutions libraries, as it takes plenty of time to do so. Also for the librarians, as it takes them a lot of time to properly manage the books, along with their details. So there was a system required which could replace the old paper and card system and could ease the students or anyone who wants to search for a book from their nearby library. Most importantly a database, that would be ideal for a library upgrading from a card or paper system where they have a card for each piece of book, a database that would also benefit a library where all students’ records are still on a paper basis. With this Library Management System, librarians will be able to monitor and manage library’s inventory more efficiently and will be able to perform all of the main library operations.

Keywords_ _ Automated, ISBN, LINUX, Microsoft Visual Studio, OS and SDLC.

Introduction
The library is one of the oldest types of institutions in our society. It is in the midst of rapid change in recent times. The changes reflect those going on in other institutions and also in the society as a whole. Hence, they must move beyond their traditional role as custodians of books and integrate new methods of storage and transmission of information into an already existing structure. Modern libraries, have already adapted to this change, but countries like Pakistan, many of its great educational institutions still have old paper-card system
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in their libraries. This automated system is designed in order to facilitate all those libraries with the old systems. Hopefully with all of the changes, it would make the libraries run much more smoothly. With less time spent filling out paperwork, more time can be devoted to serving the customers and maintaining the potentially vast amount of books held in the library. The next sections of the paper include; Literature review, Methodology and Conclusion.

An Automated Library Management System; Eradicating the Old Styled Libraries

Literature Review
Library automation may be defined as the application of automatic and semi-automatic data processing machines (computers) to perform traditional library housekeeping activities such as acquisition, circulation, cataloguing and reference and serial control. Finally, library automation is the process of performing all information operations/ activities in library with the help of computers and related information technologies. The history of library automation in the world is not an old one. It dates back to 1950s and 1960s in America and Europe. Malik in [5] states that, in Pakistan, library automation was introduced in 1980s and a number of libraries have been computerized in or after 1987. Dilroshan in [6] says that automating a library is only the first step. Keeping up with new trends in information and communication technology is also of paramount importance. If the libraries fail to meet these challenges successfully the tremendous investment that universities have made in their library collections and facilities will be seriously undermined. Salma et al in [3] has conducted comparative research study on the management of University of the Western Cape library, South Africa and Dhaka University library, Bangladesh. Salma et al in [3] suggests that the two studied libraries can improve service delivery if they vigorously promote fund raising activities, improve salaries and allowances of the library staff, and speed up and complete the highly advanced computerization of delivered services. Qutab et al in [1] explored the fact that only 52 of the thousands of universities, colleges, and
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schools in Pakistan have their library pages on parent organizations ' websites, only one public library website was functional, and only eight special library web sites were uploaded, is proof of the lack of interest or awareness of the importance of web-based services in the country. Tiwari in [4] sees automation in nineties as an increasingly divergent issue, in terms of resources, skills and abilities. Over the past few years, library automation has undergone a dramatic shift in direction. Library automation began with in-house processing of traditional task and grew to include the use of computing and telecommunication tools. Now there is a "library without walls" which uses technology to expand services, resources and relationship between libraries and resources around the world. This "virtual library" is a reality. A world of digital information is just a keystroke away claims IBM digital library. The future of library automation system will include information kiosks, where people with no computer experience can access information easily. Information scientists will create human computer interfaces and library scientists will manage the resources. Haider et al in [2] explains that barriers to the effective implementation in the libraries of Pakistan are: systematic planning for automation, software and hardware collection, nonexistence of standards, financial limitations, uncertainty and most important lack of willing and competent human resources. In order to resolve the situation, we stress that special attention needs to be paid to: formulation of information policy; creation

An Automated Library Management System; Eradicating the Old Styled Libraries

of popular awareness with regard to technology in library operation; training and development of staff; organization of users educational program for students and teachers; and emphasis on comprehensive planning by individual library to automate the library operations.

 Design and Architecture
Flow Chart:

Methodology
After the thorough analysis of the problems, designing of Library Management System was initiated. SDLC phases were used for the development of this system.  Requirements Engineering We decided to create a database that can help organize a library by performing the main functionalities of the normal library. It would be ideal for a library upgrading from a card number. It would also benefit a library where all employee records are still on a paper basis as well including all hire paperwork. There will be main modules of searching, registering and reserving that will be covered in the database in order to accomplish the targeted goal. Fig.1 depicts one of the modules’, Searching, requirements. The system does not include the functionality of renewing books.

Fig.2 Above given diagram is the main description of the system that after the successful login, both of the users; librarian and student will have their different interfaces for the searching purpose, different but having same functionality. After selecting the subject category, users will be able to search the respective book by its author name and its title, corresponding details will be displayed on the screens. Fig.3 depicts the original working for it:

Fig.1

Fig.3

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An Automated Library Management System; Eradicating the Old Styled Libraries

 Implementation The designed system was then implemented in Microsoft Visual Studio. Other than searching, main modules of Updating Books and Students information and registration of students are displayed in Fig.4 and Fig.5.

obtained after the Acceptance Testing, that the system was accepted widely by both of its user’s students and librarians and the results showed that they both found it very easy to use.
100% 80% 60% Students 40% 20% 0% Librarians

Easy

Moderate Difficult

Fig.6

Fig.4

Fig.7 shows the results obtained after Automated Testing, the system designed is user friendly and is a desktop system; it will successfully run on any PC and Laptop, other than the ones with LINUX OS.
120% 100% 80% 60% 40%

Acceptable

Fig.5  Testing After the successful formation of required and designed system, it went through different testing techniques. In Acceptance Testing readiness of system was checked whether it is acceptable by users or not, In Compatibility Testing performance of the system was tested in different working conditions and in Automated Testing it was checked whether it is well-matched with different OS or not. Fig.6 shows the results
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20%

Not Acceptable
0%

PCs

Laptops LINUX OS

Fig.7

Conclusion
From the above discussion it is clear that Pakistan is on its way towards modernization of university libraries in all respect but still requires more efforts to quench the information thirst of their patrons. The system designed is beneficent

An Automated Library Management System; Eradicating the Old Styled Libraries

for all of those libraries, especially for university libraries which still have old paper-card system. This system will be a great initiative for all such libraries, which cannot afford high budget Automated Systems. With this low budget and easily used system, those libraries will be able to have an automated system which would be, for sure very advantageous for the users, either students or the librarians. The testing methods revealed that this system designed is user friendly and its users will be facing no such difficulties in order to operate it. Systematic utilization and categorization of this systems’ budget according to the needs of the respective libraries has also been kept as an important aspect for the achievement of betterment, which is the aim of the system.

the University Western Cape Library and Dhaka University Library”. (PhD thesis), (2006). [4] Tiwari Aravind_ “Evaluation of electronic libraries.” New Delhi: APH Publishing Corporation, (2002). [5] Malik Khalid Mahmood_ “Status of library automation in Pakistan.” PLBXXVI (1), pp.24-25, (1995). [6] Dilroshan, T.L. Chrishantha_ “Identification of problems faced by university libraries in the process of automation: with special reference to the libraries of Moratuwa and Colombo Universities.” Sri Lanka Journal of Librarianship and Information Management vol. 1, no.2. pp 82, (1992).

Acknowledgements
We acknowledge to every person who gave us something to light our pathway for completion of our desired goal; we truly thank them for believing in us.

References
[1] Qutab, Saima & Khalid Mehmood_ “Library web sites in Pakistan: an analysis of the content”. Emerald, Vol.43 No.4 pp.430-445, (2009). [2] Haider, Jala-ud-Din Syed_ “Library management scenario & management problems in Pakistani libraries”. Library Administration & Management, vol. 21, no.4, Fall 2007. pp.173-176, (2007). [3] Chaudry, Salma_ “The management of academic libraries: a comparative study of
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References: [1] Qutab, Saima & Khalid Mehmood_ “Library web sites in Pakistan: an analysis of the content”. Emerald, Vol.43 No.4 pp.430-445, (2009). [2] Haider, Jala-ud-Din Syed_ “Library management scenario & management problems in Pakistani libraries”. Library Administration & Management, vol. 21, no.4, Fall 2007. pp.173-176, (2007). [3] Chaudry, Salma_ “The management of academic libraries: a comparative study of 5|Page