liberally

1. Project Overview

The Library Management System is designed to manage all operations of a library efficiently. It helps track books, their copies, library members, borrowing and returning of books, reservations, and fines. The system ensures accurate record-keeping, reduces redundancy, and supports scalability.

2. Functional Requirements

2.1 Book Management

Store information about books including title, ISBN, author, and category.

Track individual copies of each book through BookCopies.

2.2 User Management

Store member information including name, contact details, and membership date.

Manage library staff (optional, via same or separate table).

2.3 Borrowing

Track which member borrows which book copy.

Record borrow date, due date, actual return date, and status (Borrowed, Returned, Overdue).

2.4 Reservation

Allow members to reserve books in advance before borrowing.

Track reservation date and the status of the reservation.

2.5 Fines

Record fines for late returns.

Associate fines with specific borrowing transactions.

2.6 Authors & Categories

Track authors and book categories for better organization and searching.

3. Database Tables (6 main tables)

Books → stores book information.

BookCopies → stores each individual copy of books.

UserManagement → stores member information.

Borrowing → stores borrowing transactions.

Reservation → stores book reservations.

Fines → stores fines for overdue returns