Information System Project: Library Management System
Topic: Topic 6 – Library Management System (Johannesburg Central Library) Group: C3 | Lecturer: Mr. Elvis | Date: 20 October 2025
Project Overview & Objectives The Library Management System for the Johannesburg Central Library is designed to modernize library operations, streamline resource management, and enhance information accessibility for staff and patrons. Established in 1935 in the heart of Johannesburg, South Africa, the library serves thousands of daily users with an extensive catalog of physical books, digital resources, and community initiatives. To address common operational challenges—such as manual cataloging, book loss, data inconsistency, and inefficient tracking of member records—this project introduces a centralized Database Management System (DBMS). By automating core administrative procedures, including book issuing, returns, member registration, and inventory monitoring, the system ensures data integrity, improves security, and delivers operational reporting to support efficient library governance.
Business Rules & Structural Logic The underlying data model is governed by business rules that define relationships across library resources, members, staff, and transactions:
• A Member can borrow multiple Books, but each physical Book is issued to only one Member at a time. • A Librarian handles and manages multiple borrowing or returning Transactions, while each Transaction is assigned to a single Librarian. • A Book entry can have multiple physical Copies tracked by unique copy identifiers. • A Member may accumulate multiple Fines, but each Fine is tied strictly to individual member accounts. • A Category organizes multiple Books, with each Book classified under one primary Category. • Each Transaction record can link multiple Books, maintained through structured transaction mapping.
Data Model & System Architecture The database layout consists of seven interconnected entities designed to store essential operational attributes:
• Member (MEMBER): Stores member personal details including Member ID (Primary Key), Member Name, Member Surname, Contact Number, Email, Date of Birth, and residential Address. • Book (BOOK): Holds bibliographic data including Book ID (Primary Key), Title, Author, Publisher, ISBN, and Category ID (Foreign Key). • Librarian (LIBRARIAN): Tracks administrative personnel using Librarian ID (Primary Key), Name, Surname, and scheduled work Shift dates. • Transaction (TRANSACTION): Captures issuing and returning events with Transaction ID (Primary Key), associated Member ID and Librarian ID (Foreign Keys), and Transaction Date. • Book Copy (BOOK_COPY): Monitors item physical availability using Copy ID (Primary Key), linked Book ID (Foreign Key), and Availability status. • Fine (FINE): Manages financial penalties using Fine ID (Primary Key), associated Member ID (Foreign Key), Amount, and Payment Date. • Category (CATEGORY): Defines organizational genres via Category ID (Primary Key) and Category Name.
System Reports & Analytical Outcomes To support administrative oversight and operational reporting, the DBMS generates five automated reports:
• Book Report: Details inventory lists, titles, authors, and real-time item availability. • Transaction Report: Logs borrowing and returning activities associated with library members. • Fine Report: Tracks issued financial penalties, payment settlements, and outstanding balances. • Member Report: Summarizes member profiles, currently checked-out books, and historical transactions. • Librarian Report: Maps staff duty schedules against transactions processed during assigned shifts.
Group Contributors This project was developed by Group C3:
• Bareng Maake (BA) – Student No: 240269225 • Reotshepile Rakhalakane (RRR) – Student No: 225229268 • Amukelani Hlaisi (AH) – Student No: 218446349 • Katleho Moloi (KM) – Student No: 240333128 • Yolanda Ramazhamba (YR) – Student No: 225270794 • Reabetswe Mahlabane (RM) – Student No: 225218569