Problem Identification and Analysis
1. Identifying the Problem:
Students often forget the due dates for library books, leading to late fees. The process of
calculating these fees can be confusing and delayed, making it harder for students to pay it on
time.
2. Analyzing the Problem:
Who is affected?
o Students who borrow books.
o Library staff managing overdue books.
When does the problem occur?
o It happens when books are returned late, and students don’t know how much to
pay in fees.
Why does it occur?
o Students forget due dates, and there may be no clear system to calculate or track
late fees.
Consequences:
o Students pay more than they should.
o Wasted time figuring out late fees.
o Negative experience for students.
3. Generating Solutions:
Automated Fee Calculator: A system that tracks due dates and automatically calculates
late fees when a book is returned late.
Mobile App Reminder: An app that sends reminders about due dates and calculates late
fees directly on the phone.
Barcode Scanning System: A system that calculates late fees automatically when books
are scanned during return.
4. Evaluating Options:
Key features for the system:
User-friendly and easy to use.
Accurate fee calculation.
Automated process to save time.
Reminders for due dates.
Secure student data.
Modules might include:
Book Tracking: Keep track of borrowed books and due dates.
Fee Calculation: Automatically calculates late fees.
Notifications: Alerts students about due dates and fees.
Payment: Let students pay fees easily.
5. Implementing the Solution:
A software-based solution is most practical. It can be a web app or mobile app.
o Web app: Use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for the frontend; Python for the
backend.
o Mobile app: Use Java (for Android) .
Q2
1. User Management & Book Tracking
o Register/login students.
o Track borrowed books and due dates.
o Manage book records (add/update/remove).
2. Fee Calculation & Notifications
o Calculate late fees based on overdue days.
o Send reminders for upcoming due dates.
o Notify students about overdue books and fees.
3. Payment & Reporting
o Process payments for overdue fees.
o Generate reports for library staff on overdue books and payments.
o Track payment history and update fee balances.
Pseudocode
1. Begin
2. Login Process:
Ask the user for their username and password.
Check if the entered credentials match the records in the system.
If they do, continue to the next step.
If not, show an error message and prompt the user to try again.
3. Book Return & Late Fee Calculation:
Display a list of books the user has borrowed.
Ask the user to select the book they are returning.
Check the due date and current date of the selected book.
If the current date is later than the due date:
Calculate the number of days the book is overdue.
Multiply the overdue days by the fee rate to find the total late fee.
If the book is returned on time, notify the user there are no late fees.
4. Show Late Fee:
Display the calculated late fee to the user.
Offer the option to pay the fee or exit the process.
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