Account Creation and Login: Allow students, faculty, and staff to create accounts and log in to access library services.
Profile Management: Enable users to view and update their profile information, including contact details and library membership status.
Role-Based Access: Implement role-based access control to differentiate permissions and services available to students, faculty, and staff.
Catalog Management
Resource Catalog: Maintain a comprehensive catalog of library resources, including books, journals, magazines, digital resources, and multimedia materials.
Search and Filtering: Provide robust search functionality with filters based on categories, authors, titles, publication dates, and keywords.
Resource Details: Display detailed information about each resource, including title, author, publication year, ISBN, availability status, and location.
Borrowing and Returning
Check-Out and Check-In: Facilitate the borrowing and returning of resources. Record transaction details and update resource availability.
Due Dates and Renewals: Track due dates for borrowed items and allow users to renew items if no other holds are placed.
Fines and Fees: Calculate and manage fines for overdue items and process payments.
Reservation and Hold Management
Item Reservation: Allow users to reserve items that are currently checked out and notify them when the item is available.
Hold Management: Manage holds on items and notify users of availability and pick-up instructions.
Inventory Management
Stock Management: Monitor and manage the inventory of library resources, including adding new items, updating details, and removing outdated or damaged items.
Inventory Audits: Support periodic inventory audits to ensure the accuracy of the catalog and physical resources.
Reports and Analytics
Usage Reports: Generate reports on library usage, including checkouts, returns, reservations, and user activity.
Inventory Reports: Provide reports on resource availability, overdue items, and inventory status.
User Activity Reports: Track user activity and engagement, including borrowing patterns and popular resources.
Search and Discovery
Advanced Search: Offer advanced search options for locating resources by multiple criteria such as author, title, subject, and publication date.
Discovery Tools: Implement discovery tools for users to explore related resources and recommended readings.
Digital Resources Management
E-Books and Journals: Manage access to digital resources such as e-books, online journals, and databases.
Access Control: Ensure that digital resources are accessible to authorized users and manage access rights.
Notifications and Alerts
Due Date Reminders: Send reminders to users about upcoming due dates and overdue items.
Reservation Notifications: Notify users when reserved items are available for pickup.
Integration
Third-Party Integration: Integrate with third-party systems, such as academic databases, citation tools, and learning management systems (LMS).
Library Network Integration: Support integration with library networks for resource sharing and interlibrary loans.
Non-Functional Requirements
Performance
Response Time: Ensure fast response times for search queries, resource checkouts, and user interactions (e.g., under 2 seconds for search results).
Scalability: The system should handle increasing numbers of users, resources, and transactions without performance degradation.
Reliability
Uptime: Maintain high system availability with minimal downtime (e.g., 99.9% uptime).
Error Handling: Implement robust error handling and recovery mechanisms to manage system failures and ensure continuous operation.
Security
Authentication and Authorization: Use secure authentication methods and role-based access control to protect user accounts and library resources.
Data Protection: Encrypt sensitive data and implement secure communication channels to protect user privacy and resource information.
Usability
User Interface: Design an intuitive and user-friendly interface that facilitates easy navigation and interaction for all user roles.
Accessibility: Ensure the system is accessible to users with disabilities, including support for screen readers and keyboard navigation.
Maintainability
Code Quality: Write high-quality, well-documented code to facilitate system maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting.
Documentation: Provide comprehensive documentation for users, administrators, and developers, including technical specifications and operational procedures.
Availability
Backup and Recovery: Implement regular data backups and establish procedures for data recovery in case of system failures or data loss.
Failover: Ensure failover capabilities to switch to backup systems or servers if necessary.
Portability
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensure the application is compatible with various devices and operating systems, including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
Supportability
Technical Support: Provide mechanisms for obtaining technical support and resolving issues, including help desks, online resources, and customer service.
Error Reporting: Include functionality for reporting and tracking issues or bugs within the system.
