Fix a Problem with Technology
Electronic library management system (ELMS)
Introduction
This paper presents the design of an electronic library management system (ELMS) a technology that allows the use of software to serve the need of library users. The ELMS serve both teaching and learning purposes by reducing the time the users need to access educational materials and the time by which the librarian used to provide customized services to the users. The system performs several functions including acquisitions, technical processing, circulation, reference services, serial control, and payments (Jain, Shaw, and Gupta, 2017). The ELMS provides efficiency in which the functions can be implemented by both the users and librarian reducing the manual work currently involved in the library activities. The intent of the system is to reduce the time and effort currently used by library staff and users to perform these processes while also reducing errors.
Problem definition
Through observation of process in libraries and discussion with users and library staff revealed that the processes performed in the library tend to be slow, tedious, and insufficient. The processes identified include:
1) Difficulties in arranging and handling information due of the growth rate of information provided in the library
2) Updating information is difficult due to high increase and a rise in the amount of specification required
3) The cost of resource sharing between libraries and users is high
4) It is difficult for bibliographic control to be achieved
5) Shelving books according to the Book class is difficult resulting to a lot of duplication
It was also discovered that the training of students’ workers in the library is time-consuming as the workers had to understand the call number system in order to conduct their job efficiently.
Interviews
To determine if the electronic library management system would be feasible and useful technology, five individuals were interviewed to provide their feedback about the system proposed. The interview provided positive responses and specific ideas that were then narrowed down to five main uses for the system to the five tasks described in the problem definition section and a drawing was drawn to represent the uses.
The interview was conducted for three individuals to determine the uses of the proposed technology presented in the drawing. The individuals include a current student at a university, the current supervisor in a school library, and a former material coordinator for a public library. The information provided by the three individuals was included in the sketch to produce a final sketch that was used for the final storyboard.
Solution to problem
In order to solve the problems stated in this paper, the system should be able to minimize redundancy and attempt to store all the required information in a small space as possible. The design system of the system involves seven models including acquisition, cataloging, Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), circulation, serial control, management or report, and system parameters. The system is installed with acquisition which will be essential in fulfilling activities related to exchange or sharing of library materials including maintenance of library records, pre-order bibliographic searching, and receiving materials (Venus, 2012). The requirements of the acquisition model in the system will incorporate selecting items such as books, checking duplicates, and creating reports on books, CDs, DVDs, and journals. The cataloging model of the system performance will include creating records of books, CDs, DVDs, journals, magazines and other library materials. It will also be used by library staff to edit records. Cataloging will hold authority files such as subjects, name headings, and series used in the online catalog. The cataloging copies feature will be used by the system to lower the errors that can occur during storage of materials records in the database.
Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is an electronic card cataloging system used in searching library materials such as journals, books, and others. The software will enable normal search where the user or the staff can search a book using keyword, authors, or title. It provides status inquiry of particular library material for borrowers. The software provides print provision where a receipt of the issued copy can be printed. The software also provides personal account features where users of a particular library and save their information. Lastly, OPAC provides online access where users can access it over the internet or intranet.
Circulation model of the system serves the purpose of ensuring that library materials are available to those who need them within a reasonable period of time. The features of the circulation model incorporate patrons and items files used to set parameters such as the date of issue and the date of return. The model provides fine and overdue notice to users holding materials that are yet to be returned by their due date (Venus, 2012). The hold and recalls which ensures that the books are returned to the circulation desk to be saved for in the system for other users. The preservation feature of the circulation model provides information about a particular library material which is available or reserve by a user in the library. Circulation model also provides renewal which is an extension of the loan period for charged materials and short-term loans that allows the book to be borrowed for only a week if it is requested by more than one person.
Serial control model of the ELMS means the establishment of procedures, policies, and operations that help in the management of acquisition activities. Serials in the library include magazines, journals, almanacs, numbered monographs, annual reports, and journals. The serial control involves binding, ordering, receipting, claiming, and collecting of the serial materials. The management model of the system provides total information about the operation of the library to library staffs. Lastly, the system parameters involve user interface, the security of records and files including passwords, profile, and information of users, and customization.
The proposed ELMS architecture is based on the client-server architecture. The network servers for installation of the system include those server running Linux, Mac, and Unix. The application can run on users’ web browsers and due to its low-bandwidth connection, it makes it able to run on ordinary telephone line connections.
The ELMS design structure proposed is provided in the figure below (Adams, et al, 2007).
Conclusion
The Electronic Library Management System (ELMS) can be applied in schools and public libraries to enhance the tasks performed by library staffs easier and to provide users with easy access to library materials. The interviews conducted ensured that the system design was well refined and the features provided in the system are able to solve the problems encountered in the library operations. The design of the electronic library management system was able to cover the problem definition by providing solutions and other technological features that would see both library users and library staff conduct their activities more effective at a lower cost and low error possibility.
References
Adams, D., Begun, S., Fail, A., Haigler, S., and Lee, F. (2007). Library Management System: Design and Implementation. Academia. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/7414818/LIBRARY_MANAGEMENT_SYSTEM_DESIGN_AND_IMPLEMENTATION
Jain, P., Shaw, S., and Gupta, M. (2017). Improving Design of Library Management System using Design Patterns. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science. Vol 8, No. 3. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/MK/Downloads/3084-6139-1-SM.pdf
Venus, R. (2012). Design and Implementation of Library Automation Using Koha (Open Source Software) AT. Academia. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/37513092/DESIGN_AND_IMPLEMENTATION_OF_LIBRARY_AUTOMATION_USING_KOHA_Open_Source_Software_AT
