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.
he 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.
Data flow Diagram of an Existing System
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.
Here are Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of the Library Borrowing System Documentation:
- Library Borrowing System Chapter 1
- Library Borrowing System Chapter 2
- Library Borrowing System Chapter 3
Related Capstone Resources
- Existing System Chapter 4 Doc Attendance Monitoring System
- Enrollment System Thesis Chapter 4 Existing System
- Automated Basketball Scheduling System Chapter 4 Documentation
- Computerized Sales And Inventory System Thesis Chapter 4
- Sales And Inventory System Thesis Documentation Chapter 4
- Classroom Management System Thesis Documentation Chapter 4
Capstone chapter writing checklist
Structuring a BSIT capstone chapter correctly saves rework and eases the defense. Follow this checklist for consistent quality across all 5 chapters.
- Draft the outline first. Every section header first, then fill in the content.
- Write the methodology before the introduction. Chapter 3 (methodology) forces you to think through the system; Chapter 1 becomes easier after.
- Include diagrams early. UML diagrams in Chapter 3 clarify what you’re building.
- Cite sources as you write. Do not defer citations. Use Zotero or Mendeley to track sources.
- Get adviser feedback per chapter. Do not write all 5 chapters then ask for review.
- Number figures and tables. Figure 3.1, Table 4.2, etc. Panels reference these numbers.
- Follow the school template exactly. Font, margins, spacing — do not deviate.
Common capstone mistakes to avoid
- Copying without attribution. Panels use Turnitin. Cite everything you did not write yourself.
- Over-scoping the project. A well-executed simple system beats a poorly-executed ambitious one.
- Deferring documentation. Documentation quality is a big part of the grade.
- Skipping user testing. Panels ask about user feedback. Have real data.
- Ignoring adviser feedback. Advisers know what the panel will ask.
Recommended free tools for capstone projects
- draw.io / diagrams.net. UML diagrams for Chapter 3.
- Google Docs. Collaboration + version history + adviser comments.
- Zotero or Mendeley. Reference management + auto-formatted citations.
- GitHub. Version control for the source code (also earns E-E-A-T signal on your CV).
- Grammarly. Language + tone check on the documentation.
- Turnitin. Plagiarism check before submission (some schools provide access).
- ChatGPT or Claude. For outline scaffolding — not for writing the actual content.
Where to get more capstone resources
- Capstone project ideas. Browse itsourcecode.com/topics/fyp/ for 140+ tested capstone concepts.
- Working source code. itsourcecode.com/topics/free-projects/ has 1,000+ downloadable projects.
- UML diagrams. itsourcecode.com/uml/ has 300+ free UML examples for Chapter 3.
- ER diagrams. itsourcecode.com/topics/uml/erd/ for database schemas.
Official references
Frequently asked questions
How many pages should a BSIT capstone chapter be?
Chapter 1 (Introduction) is typically 8-12 pages. Chapter 2 (RRL) is 15-25 pages. Chapter 3 (Methodology and System Design) is 15-30 pages depending on diagram count. Chapter 4 (Results) is 10-20 pages. Chapter 5 (Conclusions) is 5-10 pages. Total: 60-100 pages for the whole capstone.
What order should I write the chapters in?
Recommended order: Chapter 3 first (system design and methodology — most concrete), then Chapter 1 (introduction with the problem statement), then Chapter 2 (RRL to justify Chapter 1), then Chapter 4 (results — after implementation), then Chapter 5 (conclusions). This avoids rewrites and speeds up defense readiness.
What formatting style should I use for the capstone documentation?
Most Philippine BSIT programs require IEEE or APA 7th edition. Confirm with your adviser first. Use Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, and page numbers. Reference all sources properly and use consistent citation style throughout.
How many references do I need per chapter?
Chapter 1: 5-10 references. Chapter 2 (RRL): 20-40 references. Chapter 3: 10-15 references. Chapter 4-5: minimal, mostly self-referential. Recent sources (last 5 years) are strongly preferred over older ones.
What tools help write the capstone chapters?
Zotero or Mendeley for reference management, Grammarly for language check, Turnitin for plagiarism scan, Google Docs for collaboration with adviser, LaTeX (Overleaf) for advanced formatting, and ChatGPT or Claude for outline scaffolding (not for writing the actual content).
Adrian Mercurio
Full-Stack Developer at PIES IT Solution
Specializes in building complete capstone projects with full documentation. Strong background in PHP/MySQL development and database design. Has personally built and tested over 30 capstone-ready projects with ER diagrams, DFDs, and chapter-by-chapter thesis documentation.
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