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DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB BASED DIGITAL LIBRARY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

A digital library is a library in which collections are stored in digital formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media) and accessible by computers (eCuzzy, 2011). A library is an organized collection of information sources which is made accessible to the people. The library usually contains the information physically or in a digitized format. In the olden period the access was usually in the library room as the technology grew up the access that was made online (Dinesh et al., 2015). Library is a fast growing organism. The ancient methods to maintain it are no longer dynamic and efficient. For expeditious retrieval and dissemination of information and better service for the clientele, application of modern techniques has become absolutely indispensable (Neelakandan et al., 2010).

Libraries can be divided into categories by several types, which are: 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, Architecture libraries, Fine arts libraries, Medical libraries, Theological libraries etc.

A library is comprised of the following sections, based on the services rendered.

i.   Acquisition Section: The books demanded by different departments are done by the Acquisition section. University book centre is also working in this section for supply of books to the libraries in this university.

ii.   Technical Section: To classify, catalogue, OPAC, Barcode etc. the documents of theUniversity Library this section is working.

iii.  Circulation Section: This section provides documents to the members and users of library for home reading as well as reading in the library. The documents are arranged on the racks in stacks as per the Dewey Decimal Classification Scheme.

iv.  Periodical Section: To procure, maintain and arrange periodicals services to library members. Periodical section provides reference service with respect to the requirement of the reader. Reference section is attached to periodical section for convenience of the Library u Databases:Databases like OPAC, CAB-CD ROM abstracting databases, DELNETonline Network Service etc. are available for the library members.

vi. Reprographic Section: This Section has two automatic plain paper copiers and a duplicating machine through which the services of photocopy are provided to the readers

vii.           Binding Section: This section is working for binding work of the damaged books. Back Volumes and other documents of this Library. The required binding machineryis available in this section.

Library management is a sub-discipline of institutional management that focuses on specific issues faced by libraries and library management professionals. Library management encompasses normal management tasks as well as intellectual freedom, anti-censorship, and fundraising tasks. Issues faced in library management frequently overlap those faced in management of non-profit organizations (Sharma et al., 2005).Library Management System is an application that portraits library system which could be generally small or medium in size. It is used by the librarian to categorically manage the library by the virtue of using a computerized system where he/she can record various transactions like issue of books, return of books, addition of new books, addition of new students etc. (Ashutosh and Ashish., 2011).

Books and user maintenance modules are also included in this system which would keep track of the users using the library and also a detailed description about the books a library contains. With this computerized system there will be no loss of book record or member record which generally happens when a non-computerized system is used.  In addition, report module is also included in Library Management System. If user’s position is admin, the useris able to generate different kinds of reports like lists of users registered, list of books, issue and return reports.  All these modules are able to help librarian to manage the library with more convenience and in a more efficient way as compared to library systems which are not computerized.

This system will be developed and designed to help librarian record every book transaction so as to reduce and eradicate problem of loss of books and files in the library.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Presently, transaction of books in the institutional libraries have been done manually in most cases, thereby taking more time for transaction like borrowing of books or return of books and also searching of member and books. Series of problems occur as a result of this thereby resulting to inefficient library management. In most cases as a result of human error there maybe 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 become 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.Due to problem of lack of prompt information retrieval and time wastage in using the library. In addition due to the cumbersome, in this project computer approach will be used to solve these problems. Each of the manual procedure will be analyzed.

1.3     AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this project is to develop an automated system that can handle and manage the activities involved in a library in an efficient and reliable way.

Detailed objectives include:

i.                 Designing a computerized library management system which would help evacuate the problem faced in manual library.

ii.               Implementing the system to ascertain its feasibility.

iii.          Evaluating and testing the performance of the system against previous manual method.

1.4     PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The need for the development of a system that can provide easy access to library usage for librarians and users of the library cannot be over emphasized. The system will help librarians keep track of library information, provide faster means of accessing information from any book in the library and also provide electronic means of storing any desired information for future reference. Hence the purpose of this project.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The project product to be produced is a Library Management System which will automate the major library operations.  The first subsystem is the registration of the users to the system to keep track of authorized users to the system.  The second subsystem is the registration of new books into the library management system to know when new books are brought into the library.  The third subsystem is a borrower and return of books which is the major area needed by the user.

There are three end users for the Library Management System.  The end users are the admin, users and members.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research work will be guided by the following research questions:

(i). Why proposing a computerized library system for the organization. Is it really important?

(ii). How will the proposed computer-based system affect the existing conventional system?

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Most constraint experienced during the course of writing this project is that of detailed information about TwinSec Library major operations, the personnel manager was a little diplomatic in answering my questions in order not to reveal information that may indent the company’s image, though that did not stop me from writing and researching for detailed information.

Due to time constraint, finance and confidentiality of information, program developed covers some aspect of laundry services; recording cleaning/washing activities, financial statements, history of customers and debts. Whatever is left out is as a result of the stated limitations.

1.8 ASSUMPTION OF THE STUDY

During the process of data collection, information relating to laundry services was obtained from TwinSec Library Services. The information was collected from the admin staff during the course of my research. Hence, it is assumed that all the data collected are correct and contains no false information.

1.9     DEFINITION OF TERMS

·        Bibliography: A list of books and articles to be found at the back of many non-fiction books, or at the end of articles in encyclopedia on the same subject.

·        Accession Register: A book in which the following information about the book is listed when it is obtained: accession number, title, price and source of supply, date of withdrawal and reason for withdrawal.

·        Book Card: A card kept in the pocket of a book when the book is on the shelf.

·        Blurb: Blurb tells what the book is about. It is found either in the front, inside flap of the jacket, or on one of the first few pages of the book or on the back cover.

·        Catalogue: Contain cards with information about each book in the library.

·        Cataloguing: The description of each book on to cards as it comes into the library.

·        OPAC: An online public access catalogue is an online database of materials held by a library or group of libraries. Users search a library catalogue principally to locate books and other material available at a library.

·        DELNET: developing library network, is an organization promoting resource sharing among libraries through the development of a network of libraries.

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