Library Borrowing System Documentation | Chapter IV – Existing System

This article will guide you in writing Chapter 4 – Existing System of your Capstone/Thesis Project. We will be using the Library Borrowing System as basis for our example.

In Chapter 4, you will discuss the manual system of your target client. You need to determine the objectives, scope and concept of operations of the manual system and create the data flow diagram and activity diagram for that manual system.

Steps in Writing Chapter 4 – Existing System

How to write Chapter 4 – Existing System

General Objectives and Specific Objectives
State the general objective of the manual system and break it down to its specific objectives.
Scope of the Existing System
Identify the nature and coverage of the manual system
Concept of the Operation
In this part, you describe the steps on how the manual system operates
Activity Diagram of the Manual System
This diagram will show the user’s activity when interacting with the manual system
Data Flow Diagram of the Manual System
This DFD wil show how data traverses into the manual system

Here is an example of Chapter 4 – Existing System of the Library Borrowing System.

Library Borrowing System Chapter 4 – Existing System

General Objective

This library borrowing system is created in order to have a good control and a well-organized borrowing of books for the students of St. Columban’s Academy.

Specific Objective

To accomplish this objectives this will include the following actions such as;

Recording borrowing transactions.
Provide quality and time sufficient service to the students.
Provide reliable and easy to manage records of past transactions.

Scope of the current system

This system is only limited to the students of St. Columban’s Academy in which the needs of borrowing books in the library increase yearly. As the number of students grow the number of demands in borrowing of books in the library is also growing. This system is performed manually the recording of books being borrowed, returned, damaged etc.., that is ideal only for a small demand of students. Due to the lack of money and technological devices, this current system is the best and most ideal thing to be done to provide track records in each transaction.

Concept of Operation

The first step in the current system`s concept of operation is the student will search for the book he needed in the library. After finding the specific book, student will go to the librarian. The librarian will then ask if the student will borrow the book overnight. If the student will just read the book the librarian will just get the library card of the student and record the time, the title of the book, number of the book, and the author of the book. If the student will bring the book outside the library, the librarian will then check the status of the book if it is good to be released. If the book is in good condition, the librarian will get the library card of the student and record the time borrowed, expected date to be returned, the title, author, and number of the book. In returning the book, the librarian will check the book if there is any damage. If the book has damaged, and returned over the due date, penalties will be charged.

**Figure 3: Existing System Activity Diagram**

Data flow Diagram of an Existing System

Figure 4: Existing SCA’s Library Borrowing System Data Flow Diagram

The current library system starts with the student. The student will borrow books to the librarian, and then the librarian will validate the book to see the condition of the book before the student borrows it. Upon the approval of the librarian, the student will surrender his/her library ID. Then the librarian will give the specific book. Upon returning the book, the librarian will check its condition and give approval to the student. There the librarian will return the student’s library ID.

Conclusion

This Chapter 4 – Existing System of Library Borrowing System is free to use as basis for student thesis. Surely, this guide will help you finish your own Library Borrowing System documentation.

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