Project: Offline Mobile Based Library Circulation System

This project report details the development of an offline mobile-based library circulation system designed to address the issue of network dependency in library operations. The system focuses on enabling library staff to continue check-in/check-out processes even when the main network is down. It incorporates barcode scanning using mobile devices and utilizes a local SQLite database for data storage. The project covers requirement analysis, including stakeholders, system interfaces, user interfaces, and both functional and non-functional requirements. It includes a literature review of library systems, MARC21 file formats, and relevant software development technologies such as Java, JSON, and MySQL. The product design outlines technologies, architecture, data models, and security considerations. The implementation section describes the interface, technical details like barcode scanning and data storage, and client-side technologies. The project also includes testing, project management aspects like scheduling, risk management, and project evaluation, including software quality and future improvements. The system synchronizes data with a central database server when the network connection is restored, ensuring data consistency and efficient library management. The project also explores the feasibility of loading a complete library catalog onto a mobile device.

OFFLINE MOBILE BASED LIBRARY CIRCULATION SYSTEM
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]

pg. 1

Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE..................................................................................................................................4
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................4
1.1. Background..........................................................................................................................4
1.1.1 Existing Problem..........................................................................................................9
1.1.2 Situation......................................................................................................................10
1.2 Motivation..........................................................................................................................11
1.3 Project Aim........................................................................................................................11
1.4 Project Objectives..............................................................................................................11
CHAPTER TWO...............................................................................................................................13
2. REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS..................................................................................................13
2.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................13
2.2 Stakeholders.............................................................................................................................13
2.3 System Interface......................................................................................................................14
2.4 User Interface...........................................................................................................................17
2.5 Characteristics.........................................................................................................................20
2.6 Scope of the System.................................................................................................................20
2.7 Functional Requirements........................................................................................................21
2.8 Non-Functional Requirements................................................................................................21
CHAPTER THREE...........................................................................................................................23
3. RESEARCH/ LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................23
3.1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................23
3.2 Library System........................................................................................................................23
3.2.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................23
3.2.2 MARC21 File Format...........................................................................................................27
3.2.3 Scanning Process................................................................................................................31
3.2.4 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................31
3.3 Software Development Technologies......................................................................................32
3.3.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................32
3.3.2 Java.....................................................................................................................................32
3.3.3 JSON....................................................................................................................................33
3.3.4 MySQL.................................................................................................................................33
3.3.5 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................34
CHAPTER FOUR.............................................................................................................................36
4 PRODUCT DESIGN......................................................................................................................36
pg. 2

4.1 Technologies.............................................................................................................................36
4.2 Architecture.............................................................................................................................38
4.3 Data Models.............................................................................................................................39
4.4 Security.....................................................................................................................................40
CHAPTER FIVE...............................................................................................................................41
5 IMPLEMENTATION....................................................................................................................41
5.1 Interface...................................................................................................................................41
5.2 Technical Details......................................................................................................................42
5.2.1 Scanning Barcode................................................................................................................42
5.2.2 Storing Details.....................................................................................................................43
5.2.3 Client-side Technologies.....................................................................................................43
CHAPTER SIX..................................................................................................................................44
6 TESTING........................................................................................................................................44
CHAPTER SEVEN...........................................................................................................................45
7 PROJECT MANAGEMENT.........................................................................................................45
7.1 Schedule....................................................................................................................................45
7.2 Project Deliverables.................................................................................................................46
7.3 Risk Management....................................................................................................................46
7.4 Communication with Client....................................................................................................47
CHAPTER EIGHT...........................................................................................................................48
8 PROJECT EVALUATION............................................................................................................48
8.1 Software Quality......................................................................................................................48
8.2 Ease of Use...............................................................................................................................48
8.3 Methodology Choice................................................................................................................49
8.4 Future Improvement...............................................................................................................49
CHAPTER NINE...............................................................................................................................50
9 REFLECTION................................................................................................................................50
9.1 Achievements...........................................................................................................................50
9.2 Challenges................................................................................................................................51
9.3 Conclusion................................................................................................................................52
References and Bibliography............................................................................................................53
pg. 3

CHAPTER ONE
1. INTRODUCTION
This is the very first chapter of the report. The chapter introduces general information about
library management system. In this chapter, the background of library management system
will be discussed in details, the background of the system will be divided into general and
specific background. General background information will discuss all the general information
which pertains library management system from its definitive state. Specific background
information will discuss the topic under investigation which is the library information system
in mobile devices, the background of mobile based library circulation system will be
discussed too. The objectives which are supposed to be achieved will also be outlines as the
project has to achieve the set objectives to be termed as complete and satisfactory project.
The aim purpose or the aim of carrying out the project will also be established in this chapter,
the motivation factor behind getting into researching this particular topic and its benefits that
will come as a result of successfully completing and implementing the project is also
discussed. The statement of the problem which contains the existing problem which
prompted research and implementation of the project is a discussed too.
1.1. Background
A library is a sorted out gathering of data sources which is made available to the
individuals. The library generally contains the data physically or in a digitized
arrangement. In the bygone time frame the entrance was for the most part in the
library room as the innovation grew up the entrance that was made on the web
(Dinesh et al.,2015). Library is a quickly developing life form. The antiquated
strategies to keep up it are never again unique and proficient. For quick recovery and
pg. 4

scattering of data and better administration for the customers, use of current
procedures has turned out to be totally imperative (Neelakandan et al., 2010).
A library is involved the accompanying areas, in light of the administrations
rendered.
i. Acquisition Section: The books requested by various divisions are finished by
the Acquisition area. College book focus is additionally working in this area for
supply of books to the libraries in this college.
ii. Technical Section: To arrange, index, OPAC, Barcode and so forth the
archives of the University Library this segment is working. 2
iii. Circulation Section: This segment gives reports to the individuals and clients
of library for home perusing just as perusing in the library. The archives are
organized on the racks in stacks according to the Dewey Decimal Classification
Scheme.
iv. Periodical Section: To acquire, keep up and orchestrate periodicals
administrations to library individuals. Periodical area furnishes reference
administration as for the necessity of the peruser. Reference area is connected to
periodical segment for accommodation of the Library clients.
v. Databases: Databases like OPAC, CAB-CD ROM abstracting databases,
DELNET online Network Service and so on are accessible for the library
individuals.
vi. Reprographic Section: This Section has two programmed plain paper copiers
and a copying machine through which the administrations of photocopy are given to
the perusers.
pg. 5

vii. Binding Section: This segment is working for restricting work of the harmed
books. Back Volumes and different reports of this Library. The required restricting
apparatus is accessible in this area.
Library the board is a sub-control of institutional administration that spotlights on
explicit issues looked by libraries and library the board experts. Library the
executives envelops typical administration errands just as scholarly opportunity,
against control, and gathering pledges undertakings. Issues looked in library the
board habitually cover those looked in the executives of non-benefit
organizations(Sharma et al.,2005).Library Management System is an application that
pictures library framework which could be commonly little or medium in size. It is
utilized by the bookkeeper to completely deal with the library by the uprightness of
utilizing an automated framework where he/she can record different exchanges like
issue of books, return of books, expansion of new books, expansion of new
understudies and so forth. (Ashutosh and Ashish., 2011). 3 Books and client upkeep
modules are additionally incorporated into this framework which would monitor the
clients utilizing the library and furthermore a point by point portrayal about the
books a library contains. With this automated framework there will be no loss of
book record or part record which by and large happens when a non-electronic
framework is utilized. Moreover, report module is likewise incorporated into Library
Management System (Anon, n.d.). On the off chance that client's position is
administrator, the client can produce various types of reports like arrangements of
clients enrolled, rundown of books, issue and return reports. Every one of these
modules can assist administrator with managing the library with more
accommodation and in a progressively proficient manner when contrasted with
library frameworks which are not automated. Under review as permitted by the
pg. 6

literature research, another system for the libraries is the capital software which is
able vital and important in the overall management of the library items. The system
has the following main advantages which includes the ability to increase the staff
available support especially in modernized library facilities, the system has provided
efficiency , it is also easy and most time effective as it saves time by improving the
experience of the user. the management system fro the library under there normal
circumstance, contains the relational database, the graphical user interface also
known as the GUI in its abbreviation format, and the administrator platform. In
most cases for the library systems which are integrated, they have software functions
which are separate and categorized into the programs that are discrete called the
modules, in this, each module is integrated using a unified user interface. This
framework will be created and intended to enable administrator to record each book
exchange to decrease and kill issue of loss of books and documents in the library.
1.1.1 Existing Problem
The main problem which is existing in the current system is the possibility of
having a smooth check in and check out of book by the borrowers and its general
management when the system is down due to network connection. The current
system is networked system which employs the use of internet in processing details
in the library. Sometime network connectivity can be down in such a way that the
system is not in a position to continue processing the check in and check out of
book or its very slow hence making it very difficult to serve the large number of
borrowers available in the facility. This forced the library management to embark
on the manual way of information recording which is time wasting and tedious. A
lot of time is taken in borrowing books or returning the books which have been
pg. 7

borrowed as well as searching the member details to confirm the number of booms
which has been borrowed by the member of the library. This normally happens
when the system network connection is down which in turn makes the whole
process very slow and tedious. Searching process might take a lot of time on one
single member hence making is very difficult to serve large number of people
making returns and borrowing books from the library. This is because the librarian
has to wait for network connection to regain its connection strength so that they
can be able to operate the system smoothly hence affecting the whole process of
service delivery. At most of the time, the librarian could opt for manual method of
data recording and management especially when the system is down. The library
staff could be forced to write down the member who have borrowed books and
those who have returned the books in separate sheets, then when the network
regains its strength, then they will be able to enter the data into the system at a later
time, This means that they have to spend extra time working in the library to make
sure that that data has been posted and updated so that the book can be marked as
borrowed or vacancy by the system. This whole process wastes a lot of time and its
also very tiresome to the staff which in turn affects service delivery as well as the
general process of library management.
1.1.2 Situation
By using the current system, it has made the librarian taking a lot of time clearing a
single person who has returned or borrowed a book. The current situation in the
library is not complete and technologically stable as the work done when the
system is down is very hence and slow which is contrary to any technology put in
place whose aim is always to reduce time wasted as well as making work more
pg. 8

easy. It is very much difficult to operate under the current situation as paper work
is sometimes involves especially in the late hours when the library is almost being
closed and members are almost checking out yet the system is down due to
network unavailability. Network is always propagated rom its central place, there
are so many issues which might cause network availability to be affected, this
includes power blackout as network propagation machines like routers and
switches uses electricity in their general operation. Too many users can also cause
network bandwidth being affected hence affecting the speed of the upload and
download in a network. This whole situation is problematic as it stands till there is
a proper way of curbing it, and hence the main reason as to why a mobile based
library circulation system has been proposed in order to curb the current stalemate.
1.2 Motivation
Trying to check on how the proposed system will be able to positively impact the
whole institution in terms of saving time, reducing work load of writing data in a piece
of paper so that data can be entered at a later time when the strength has been regained
for smooth operation of the system as well as efficiency when it comes to service
delivery, implementing the system will be able to completely solve the stalemate
which is being witnessed in the library management system of book management. The
system proposed is an android system, this means that the system is portable and can
be operated at hand held at any location within the library. Besides that, the application
is locally hosted, it doesn’t need the availability of the network connection for its
general operation hence checking out and checking in of books and scanning process
will be instant hence saving a lot of time. The application will also be able to
synchronize data recorded once network connection in the main system has been
pg. 9

regained. This whole positivity’s will positively impact the operation of the library to
its efficiency standards.
1.3 Project Aim
The major aim of the project is to design, develop and implement an offline mobile based
library management application which is effective and efficient enough in handling library
transactions when the main system is down.
1.4 Project Objectives
The objectives of this projects includes the following:
i. Designing an offline based android library management application which will be
able to evacuate all the problems which are being faced in the library when the
current system is down due to network strength.
ii. Developing the designed system using android studio IDE with java programming
language as the core language.
iii. Integrating the application with SQLite database for its offline use.
iv. Implementing the system in android studio.
v. Evaluation and testing of the system in terms of its general performance and
efficiency in accordance with the requirements set.
vi. Synchronization of the recorded data into the main system when the network
strength has been regained.
vii. Analysing MARC 21 format data file and checking if catalogues which have been
stored in the file can be converted to SQLite fit, and displayed in the android
application.
pg. 10

viii. Reviewing other literatures and checking if the developed application can be
improved in the future in terms of service delivery as well as efficiency.
pg. 11