HI5019: Library Management System Report for MACQUARIE University

This report presents a comprehensive proposal for a library management system tailored for MACQUARIE University. It begins by outlining the background and problem statement, highlighting the limitations of the current manual system. The project objectives focus on enhancing efficiency, security, and user experience. The scope encompasses digitalization, automation of resources, and staff training. Critical success factors, including careful system selection, top management involvement, vendor support, and staff engagement, are thoroughly discussed. The report includes an organizational chart and analyzes the current system's control weaknesses, such as slow processes and inefficient record-keeping. It then details the features of the proposed system, emphasizing its relevance to concepts like MRP and EDI. Technological requirements and an entity-relationship diagram are provided, alongside user views and potential security risks. The conclusion summarizes the benefits, such as improved information access and operational efficiency. The report offers valuable insights into the design, implementation, and management of a modern library information system.

LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 1
Library Information System
(Case of MACQUARIE University-Australia)
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Background of Project.....................................................................................................................3
Statement of The Problem...............................................................................................................3
Project Objectives............................................................................................................................4
Project Scope...................................................................................................................................4
Expected Benefits............................................................................................................................5
Critical Success Factors...................................................................................................................6
Organization chart...........................................................................................................................8
Current System Control Weaknesses...............................................................................................9
Features of the Proposed Library Management System................................................................11
Relevance of MRP, MRP II, and EDI...........................................................................................13
Technological Requirements.........................................................................................................14
Entity Relationship Diagram.........................................................................................................15
User Views.....................................................................................................................................15
Potential Security Risks, Data Breaches, and Controls.................................................................19
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
Reference List................................................................................................................................21

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Introduction
Information technology has changed and simplified people’s life by the different kinds of
applications. In the view of the rapid changes with the application of information technology,
many technologies, tools and systems have been invented and produced. The library is focusing
on the development of a library management system for MACQUARIE University to make
library management easy to handle and more efficient. The project goal is to offer security,
simplicity and efficiency to the management of MACQUARIE University library and also
minimize managing staffs in the library.
Background of Project
Librarian use a library management system to manage the library. He or she can record
different operations such as return of book, addition of new students, issue of books, and addition
of new books, among others. Besides, the library system contains students and book maintenance
modules. The system monitors the students and also offer a comprehensive description about the
books a library has (Zhu and Spidal, 2015 p.261). With a library management system,
MACQUARIE University will keep members and books record which is not the case when a
non-computerized system is employed.
Macquarie University is situated in Australia with over 3000 employees and 40,000
students in one advancing discovery hub (mq.edu.au, 2018). The institution has invested
substantially in its infrastructure and facilities so that its employees and students can blossom in
an environment that is cultured to the latest digital technologies. Macquarie University wants to
adopt a library information system that will simplify the operations in their library. A library
management system contains report modules. If the position of the user is admin, the user can
create various kinds of reports such as list of books, return of books reports, lists of students and
issue of books report. All the above modules assist the librarian in managing the library in a
more efficient and convenience way as compared to non-computerized systems.
Statement of The Problem
Currently, MACQUARIE University is using the manual system to manage its library. Its
staff members keep records about students and books, store information of issued books and
search for the books manually. Since the library is very big appropriate record keeping has

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become a big challenge. Manual record keeping is no longer a dependable technique because
individuals have a tendency of forgetting things.
Other issues of the current system are:
 It is not possible to generate fast report
 Slow processes of searching a book resulting to longer durations particularly for
postgraduate courses
 Records about return or issue of the books are inappropriately maintained.
 It is impossible to create a central database as information is unavailable in database.
 Problem of books’ theft
 Tracing of books borrowed is inefficient and slow
 Space utilization is inefficient since all records are stored in hard form.
 Slow processes of cataloguing, acquisition and management of library resources
 Inadequate access to research conducted by MACQUARIE University
 Lack of consumer skills in data retrieval methods
Project Objectives
The objectives of the project are as follows:
 The system should have a librarian request column for offering new books
 The system should allow issuing of books online
 The system should allow students to login to a page where they can view books issued
and return date
 The system should include a teacher login page where they can add essential suggestions
about books and any event being planned in MACQUARIE University.
Project Scope
The MACQUARIE University project does not only involve implementing a library
management system, but also entails staff development and organizational arrangements needed
to guarantee reliability and sustainability of the information systems in the future (Degkwitz,
2016 p.40). In short, the project scope involves: In-depth digitalization of library system
including LAN (Local area Networks) and online public access catalogues in the libraries
(Gallaway and Hines, 2012 p.173). Enhancement of library information resources by automation

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of its archival and rare collections in text, and through tenable subscriptions to e-journals (online
information). Equipping library employees with skills that will allow them to effectively and
efficiently sustain, manage and maintain an integrated library information system. Training
library consumers to allow them to optimally utilize the integrated library information system.
Priorities in the Implementation of Library Information System
MACQUARIE University Library will consider the time needed and tasks involved in the
implementation of their library information system with special concentration on:
 Availability of human capacity
 Required elemental preparation activities
 Cost involved
 Development of human capacity
Expected Benefits
 Rapid and efficient access to information
 Rapid and efficient processes in cataloguing, acquisition and management of library
resources (S.N., P.K. and C., 2014 p.19).
 Shorter time of postgraduate subjects
 Better circulation and reference management
 Minimized space demand and borrowing as most consumers depend on remote access
 Efficient use of available space and decreased demand for expansive building extensions
 Reduced rate of book theft
 Easier access to e-journals after subscription by the library
 Adequate access to MACQUARIE University research work and better academic clarity
for MACQUARIE
 More efficient management of library operations and better record keeping
 Improvement of academic research and programs
 Consumer training to acquire optimal use of the new library information system.
Critical Success Factors
The project of radical design and fundamental thinking of business processes to achieve
remarkable improvements in vital current performance measures such as quality, speed, cost and

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service should concentrate on the full performance and coordination of the system. Processes to
be redesigned must be integrated to boost the reengineering effort (Hazra, 2018 p.129). Thus, the
implementation and planning of the MACQUARIE reengineering project should concentrate on
its processes, its organizational structure, its fundamental beliefs and its culture. The following
are some of the critical success factors of MACQUARIE library information system:
Careful Selection Process: most library information system are commercial application
systems that can differ greatly functionality from one system to another. For instance, some
systems are more applicable in large organizations while others are more applicable in smaller
ones. To lessen risks in transaction or productivity loss and to reduce implementation and system
costs, Macquarie University need to identify the most suitable system for their library (Farrell
and Leousis, 2017 p.557). Such a determination is the result of a careful process of selection.
Top Management Involvement: successful deployment of a library information system
requires powerful leadership by executives who support, understand and champion the project.
When such an involvement is passed through the institutional hierarchy, it results to an
institutional commitment, which is necessary for the successful implementation of complex
project (Wilson, 2011 p.263). Since the implementation of library system is a complex project
that will change the whole library and readjust it for better effectiveness, strong leadership is
vital.
Vendor Support: with the emerging technology, it is vital to obtain external technical
specialist, usually from the vendor, to aid successful deployment. Efficient vendor support
involves high-quality and sufficient technical support during the implementation and after the
implementation, adequate training offered for both staff users and project team, and good
relationship between all project parties. Besides, sufficient knowledge should be transferred
between clients and vendor consultants, which can be accomplished by achieving shared
understanding, defining roles and improving relationships through efficient interactions (Wang
and Dawes, 2012 p.76). With regard to the implementation of library information system, vendor
support is specifically essential because of the complexity of every new creation of the system
and the knowledge gap of the library personnel in understanding the basic details of the new
system.

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Competence of the project team: since the migration of the library system affects all
operational areas of a library, all team members involved in the implementation process need to
be cross-functional (Singh, 2013 p.36). Besides, members who are equipped with both
technology and business knowledge are particularly vital for successful implementation. In
addition, it is essential to have an inside project leader who supports the project and who has the
required authority and skills to develop goals that legalize change.
Staff User engagement: it is essential that the team of project engage staff users early
enough, otherwise the process of implementation may be inconsistent. When consumers are
engaged in decisions relating to implementation and selection of a system, they are more
concerned and invested in the system success, which in turn result to user satisfaction and greater
system use (Singh, 2014 p.697). Staff user involvement is one of the critical success factors in
the implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP). Since personal importance to the
system is as essential as the implementation of library information system, efficient staff user
engagement in the implementation process is positively connected to implementation success.
Interdepartmental Communication: the essentiality of efficient communication across
departmental and functional boundaries is well known in the implementation of information
systems. With team members of project coming from various operational areas, consultants
coming from the vendor, and staff users having different understanding and perceptions of the
implementation project, the essentiality of efficient communication between all individuals
involved cannot be ignored (Jenko and Roblek, 2016 p.160). Communications should begin
early, be continuous and consistent throughout different implementation process stages, and
include a justification for implementation, contact-points development, system overview and
meetings for process changes. Goals and expectations should be communicated to all
shareholders and all organization levels.
Data conversion and analysis: a basic requirement for the efficiency of a library
information system is data accuracy. Types of data in a library information system are usually of
an old-fashioned format and can vary from new library system formats (Yeh and Walter, 2016
p.27). Change from one format to the other can be an overpowering process, particularly when
an expertise is missing in the library. Since moving data to the new system is important, efficient

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data conversion and analysis is a critical success factor for successful implementation of a library
information system.
Project tracking and project management: practices such as developing a formal plan of
implementation, developing resource requirement, defining clear goals and designing authentic
work plan are critical in the successful implementation of a library information system (Avery,
2016 p.291). The formal deployment plan needs to identify the tasks to be carried out, modules
to be deployed and all nontechnical and technical concerns to be considered. The progress of the
project must be cautiously monitored through reports and meetings.
Staff User training and education: a new system usually disappoints users who have
insufficient training in its use and functionalities. When users are stressed and disappointed, they
may avoid using the system (Amini and Sadat Safavi, 2013 p.72). Adequate and proper training
will calm users and eradicate hesitation of using the new system, which in turn will assist in
discovering productivity achievements. Processes of training should consider factors like user
dedication, training curriculum, trainers’ competence and skills, and training budget, methods,
schedule and evaluation.
Organization chart
Figure 1: MACQUARIE University Organizational Chart
(Source: mq.edu.au, 2018)

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Current System Control Weaknesses
MACQUARIE university for a very long time have been using the manual system of
catalogue to manage it library operations. It operates by use if index cards to monitor and track
books that have been issued out. Manual systems are often susceptible to human errors such as a
librarian may incorrectly index a book or misfiles borrower’s system. Identifying and locating an
index card is cumbersome and time consuming and one cannot store a vast amount if data
records effectively (Shi and Levy, 2015, p. 719). Library staff uses a lot of their time on clerical
and mechanical activities rather than engaging with the library visitors. Files tend to get lost
especially when the librarian is serving longer queues because of mismanagement of either index
cards or borrowers’ cards. Also, searching for a book or article in the library was such a difficult
task for the students, teachers, and librarians at MACQUARIE university. Additionally, index
cards and borrowers’ cards occupy quite a bigger space. Catalogue system does not support
timely reporting.
The manual system is also expensive because each new book, article, or a library
resource requires a paper to index it which can be expensive and costly over time (Aruleba,
Akomolafe and Afeni, 2016, p. 5). Additionally, the university is required to employ more
library assistants to manage the long queues and many library resources within the library in
order to process book transactions more quickly. The figure below shows the flow of activities of
the current library system.

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Figure 2: Flowchart of Current MACQUARIE University Library System
(Source: Liu and Chen, 2018, p. 83)
The data flow diagram of the current library system is shown below:
Figure 3: Data Flow Diagram of the Current Library System

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Proposed Library Management System
The proposed MACQUARIE University library management system will be able to
address the challenges and weaknesses of the current library system and be able to meet the set
objective and goal of the university. The information system will provide a flexible, unified,
single, searching, and retrieval of any type of publication within the university library within a
very short time (Shang et al., 2017, p. 4). MACQUARIE university identified adoption of a
library management system as one of the major key priority for enhancing library services within
and outside services.
The proposed system will address the following problems: slow search processes
currently being experienced, inefficient monitoring and tracking of books, slow process of
cataloguing, acquisition, and resource management, inefficient use of space, pilferage of books,
limited access to external resources, and user dissatisfaction. The new library information system
will increase the information access, increase speed of cataloguing, acquisition, and resource
management, better circulation management and reference, remote access to library resources,
reduced loss of files and books, easy access to external information, enhance record keeping,
improved research, and enhanced academic programs (Ikonne, 2015, p. 11). The MACQUARIE
library information system will allow users to access all the library resources remotely over the
internet.
Automation of the library activities enhances user satisfaction because there ill be no
queues and facilitates centralize administration and management of library resources. The
information system will also facilitate library monitoring and clientele, record keeping, purchase
and acquisition, library budget control, and library public relations. The main users of the library
information systems are students and teachers of MACQUARIE University but services can also
be extended to the community around the university.
Features of the Proposed Library Management System
This section will discuss the primary features of the proposed information system. Some
of the desired features include:

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Complete full-text searching- this is one of the essential features of the system. Users
should be able to search for the library reading resources using the various available criteria such
as author name, article/book title, date, and type of publication (Krasteva et al., 2014, p. 166).
Easy retrieval of information- one of the key goals of the system is to allow direct
retrieval of publication directly. Relevant publications can be retrieved by use of search
capabilities.
Protection of the Authors’ interest and copyright- it is important for the publishers and
authors to get compensation for using their work. The system can limit retrieval of some
publications by only providing the abstract and the citations such that incase a student or a
teacher wants to it he/she has to pay in order to have full access of the book or article.
Facilitate cataloguing and indexing of library resources- the information system should
allow the librarian to index and catalogue library resources digitally so as to track and monitor
their access and usage.
Acquisition- the library system will support acquisition of books and articles and will
manage processes such as purchase orders, reminders, order cancelation, receipt of purchase
order, and invoicing.
Circulation- the information system will facilitate management of issued and returned
using index numbers or barcode scanner. Using barcodes makes it easy and efficient to carry out
daily library tasks with no limits in item transaction.
Reporting- the librarian can generate and export reports into a word or excel document
such as item reports, member wise report, specific on-demand reports, and media wise reports.
The library management system will have a friendly and easy to use interface that will
facilitate complete administration and management of the whole library. All the manual
processes of issuing a book are done away with and time and human resource is saved and can be
diverted to other productive areas (Onyenachi and Amadi, 2018, p. 9). The system will allow the
library assistant to reserve and issue a book to a student. In case the students extend the deadline;
the system will show the penalty imposed on the student for the late return of the book.