Registration & Authentication: Allow users (members, librarians, administrators) to create accounts, log in, and manage passwords. Support multi-factor authentication for enhanced security.
Role-Based Access: Provide different roles with specific permissions (e.g., Admin, Librarian, Member) and functionalities based on their responsibilities.
Profile Management: Enable users to view and update their personal information, including contact details and membership status.
Catalog Management:
Book Cataloging: Support the addition, updating, and removal of books and other materials, including details such as title, author, ISBN, genre, and publication date.
Inventory Management: Track the availability of library materials, including physical and digital copies, and manage inventory levels.
Search and Discovery:
Search Functionality: Provide advanced search options for users to find books and materials by various criteria (e.g., title, author, ISBN, genre).
Recommendation System: Offer book recommendations based on user preferences, borrowing history, and popular titles.
Borrowing and Returning:
Check-Out Process: Allow users to borrow books and materials, including capturing due dates, fines for late returns, and handling holds/reservations.
Check-In Process: Manage the return of borrowed items, including updating inventory and handling overdue fines or fees.
Reservation and Holds:
Book Reservation: Enable users to place holds or reserve books that are currently checked out, with notifications when the book becomes available.
Waiting List: Manage waiting lists for popular items, notifying users when their turn to borrow a reserved item arrives.
Fine and Fee Management:
Fines and Fees: Calculate and track fines for overdue books, lost or damaged items, and other fees. Provide mechanisms for users to pay fines online or in person.
Payment Processing: Support various payment methods for fine and fee settlement, including online payments and in-person transactions.
Reporting and Analytics:
Usage Reports: Generate reports on library usage, including book circulation, popular titles, and user activity.
Inventory Reports: Provide reports on inventory levels, book acquisitions, and missing or damaged items.
Member Reports: Track membership statistics, including new registrations, renewals, and inactive accounts.
Event Management:
Library Events: Manage library events such as book clubs, author talks, and workshops, including scheduling, registration, and notifications.
Event Calendar: Provide a calendar view for users to see upcoming events and register for participation.
Communication and Notifications:
Alerts and Reminders: Send notifications and reminders to users about due dates, overdue items, reserved book availability, and upcoming events.
Communication Tools: Facilitate communication between library staff and members through messaging or email.
Admin and Configuration:
System Configuration: Allow administrators to configure system settings, including user roles, library policies, and catalog parameters.
Staff Management: Manage librarian and staff accounts, including roles, permissions, and schedules.
Non-Functional Requirements
Performance:
Scalability: Ensure the system can handle increasing numbers of users, books, and transactions efficiently.
Response Time: Maintain quick response times for search queries, book check-outs, and report generation.
Reliability:
High Availability: Achieve high availability with minimal downtime to ensure continuous access to library services.
Fault Tolerance: Implement mechanisms to handle system failures and ensure uninterrupted service.
Security:
Data Encryption: Ensure encryption of sensitive data, including user information, borrowing records, and financial transactions, both in transit and at rest.
Access Control: Use robust authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect user accounts and data.
Compliance: Adhere to relevant data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) to ensure privacy and security.
Usability:
User Interface: Design an intuitive and user-friendly interface for easy navigation, book search, and account management.
Training and Support: Provide training materials and support to help users and library staff understand and effectively use the system.
Maintainability:
Code Quality: Maintain high code quality and follow best practices to facilitate system updates and maintenance.
Documentation: Provide comprehensive documentation for users and administrators, including user manuals, system guides, and API documentation.
Support:
Customer Service: Offer timely and effective support through various channels, such as live chat, email, and phone.
Help Center: Maintain a knowledge base or help center with FAQs, guides, and troubleshooting information.
Compatibility:
Cross-Browser Support: Ensure compatibility with major web browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari).
Mobile Responsiveness: Design the system to be fully functional on mobile devices, providing a seamless experience across platforms.
Backup and Recovery:
Regular Backups: Implement regular backups of data, including book catalog, user information, and borrowing records, to prevent loss.
Recovery Procedures: Establish procedures for data recovery and system restoration to handle data loss or corruption.
Integration:
Interoperability: Ensure the system can integrate seamlessly with other library systems, catalog databases, and external services.
API Flexibility: Provide flexible APIs to accommodate various integration needs with external systems and applications.
Data Quality:
Accuracy: Ensure the accuracy and reliability of book information, user records, and transaction data.
Timeliness: Provide timely updates to reflect current inventory, user status, and system performance.
