1.1 Introduction
A library is a collection of resources and services, and the structure in which it is housed; it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. Books and Library Lending Management System is an application software that specializes on library activities daily record storage, book management and organizing records of leased library resources. A system or computer system can be said to be an electronic device or machine, which accept data, process programs and then produce a result output from the processed as information. A rapidly growing of information technology adds some features to library management or stock control system software packages such as features to handle digital-media, e-book, e-journals, online public access catalog (OPAC), a feature to connect and exchange information with a digital library system, an ability to connect with networks of co-libraries, machine-readable cataloging (MARC) standard support. Automated library is a digitalized method of storing library resources and it is also a system for cataloging and retrieval of information in electronic books, journals and other media.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
According to Stephen, Maeve & Philip (2007), in a traditional sense, a Library' a large collection of books and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and service. The collections can be of paint. audio, and visual materials in numerous format, including maps, print, and documents, microform, CDs, cassettes, video tapes, DVDs, video games, e-books, audio books and many other electronic resources. The places where this material is stored can range from public libraries subscription libraries, private libraries and can also be in digital form, stored on computers or accessible over the internet.
As technology is the faster growing trends, computers now a days are being put of human life. Through computers business, organizations schools, companies and etc. can transact to their clients in a convenient way using advance technologies and specially the application software, The application software is created for library functions through this “Library management System” librarian can lessen their errors and efforts in every book processing and transactions and in making reports.
Many institutions make a distinction between a circulating or lending library, where materials are expected and intended to be loaned to patrons, institutions, or other libraries, and a reference library where material is not lent out. Modern libraries are often a mixture of both, containing a general collection for circulation, and a reference collection which is restricted to the library premises. Also, increasingly, digital collections enable broader access to material that may not circulate in print, and enables libraries to expand their collections even without building a larger facility.
Academic libraries are generally located on college and university campuses and primarily serve the students and faculty of that and other academic institutions. Some academic libraries, especially those at public institutions, are accessible to members of the general public in whole or in part. Academic libraries are libraries that are hosted in post-secondary educational institutions, such as colleges and universities. Their main function are to provide support in research and resource linkage for students and faculty of the educational institution. Specific course-related resources are usually provided by the library, such as copies of textbooks and article readings held on ‘reserve' (meaning that they are loaned out only on a short-term basis, usually a matter of hours).
Academic libraries offer workshops and courses outside of formal, graded coursework, which are meant to provide students with the tools necessary to succeed in their programs. These workshops may include help with citations, effective search techniques, journal databases, and electronic citation software. These workshops provide students with skills that can help them achieve success in their academic careers (and often, in their future occupations), which they may not learn inside the classroom.
1.3 Statement of Problem
In the existing system all the transaction of books are done manually, So taking more time for a transaction like borrowing a book or returning a book and also for searching of members and books. Another major problem is on preparing the list of books borrowed and the available books in the library will take more time, currently it is doing as a one day process for verifying all records. So after conducting the feasibility study a decision to make the manual Library management system to be computerized one was taken to consideration. Some of the problems being faced that brought about the new system design are as follows:
- Fast report generation is not possible,
- Information about issue/return of the books is not properly maintained,
- No central database can be created as information for decision making
- Records are not available or stored in database
- Lack of effectiveness in their methods of record keeping, further compounds the problem.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this study is to design software that will Design and implement a Computerized Books and Library Lending Management System. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to design and develop a software that will:
- Provides better and efficient service to staff/users;
- Ensure faster retrieval of information about the desired book;
- Provide facility for proper monitoring reduce paper work and provide data security;
- Give account of borrowed and un borrowed books;
- Reduce the verbal words between the library users and the attendance;
- Give fast access to database (Quick transaction) and all details will be available on a click.
1.5 Significance of the Study
The significance of this research work goes along with the research objective which was achieved in this study, this work is highly important to the management of any library as one of the feature of this system is to automate the book management in the library.
Also, with the help of this research work, it has broaden the view and understanding of the researcher, inferably, wider and will also serve as a reference and study aid to other upcoming researcher and for academic material.
This study will also be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This research works covers the implementation of a Computerized Books and Library Lending Management System that will be used to monitor inflow and outflow of library materials in other to curtail thievery/theft.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials
1.8 Definition of Terms
Library: It is a department in an organization that deals with keeping tracks of book issued, returned and added to library.
Management: It is the co-ordination of all the resources of an Organization through the process of planning, Organization, directing and controlling
