Nerdy Archive - Digital E-Books Archive with Library Management System

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Features
• Key Functionalities
• Technologies Used
• Dependencies
• Folder Structure
• Handling Offline and eBook Borrowing
• Application Screenshots
• Future Enhancements
• Contribution

Overview

Nerdy Archive (LMS) is a comprehensive solution for managing both offline/physical book borrowing and digital eBook lending in libraries. The system facilitates user authentication, book transactions, and administrative control over library resources.

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Features

• User Management :
  • JWT-based secure login and registration.
  • Forgot password and reset password functionality.
• Book Management :
  • Separate handling for physical book borrowing and eBook lending.
  • eBooks are managed as PDF files, and physical books are tracked with transaction records.
• Transaction Management :
  • Borrow and return books with due date tracking.
  • Fine calculation for late return of books.
  • Ensures availability and manages borrowing limits.
• Reset Password :
  • Secure password reset via email with token-based validation.
• Offline and eBook Handling:
  • Separate workflows for borrowing physical books and downloading eBooks.

Key Functionalities

User Authentication

• Secure registration and login.
• Token-based authentication using JWT.

Book Management

• Add, update, and delete books.
• Manage physical book inventory and eBook PDFs separately.

User Management

• Users can view their profiles, update their information, and reset passwords.
• Admins can manage users, including updating roles and deleting accounts.

Transaction Management

• Admins can add, edit, and delete books.
• Users can search for books and view availability.
• Download eBooks directly from the system.
• Transactions are updated automatically when books are issued or returned.

Password Reset

• Users can reset their password via email.
• Implements secure token-based reset mechanism.

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Handling Offline and eBook Borrowing

This LMS includes provisions to handle both offline/physical book borrowing and eBook lending:

• Offline Book Borrowing:

  • Tracks the number of available physical copies.
  • Borrowers can check out books and must return them before the due date.
  • Due dates and fines (if applicable) are managed through the system.

• eBook Lending:

  • Users can download eBook PDFs directly from the system.
  • eBook availability is not restricted by inventory, ensuring unlimited downloads.
  • eBook files are stored securely in the uploads/ directory of the backend/ or server/ folder.

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Technologies Used

• Backend: Node.js, Express.js
• Database: MySQL (Aiven MySQL by DigitalOcean)
• ORM: Sequelize
• Frontend: React.js (with Material-UI for styling), Vite template
• Email Service: Nodemailer
• Deployment: Backend in Virtual Machine by any Cloud Provider (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), Frontend in Vercel or Heroku

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Dependencies

Backend Dependencies

• bcrypt (^5.1.1): Used for password hashing to securely store user credentials.
• body-parser (^1.20.3): Parses incoming request bodies for API handling.
• cors (^2.8.5): Enables Cross-Origin Resource Sharing, allowing requests from different origins.
• crypto (^1.0.1): Provides cryptographic functions for secure token handling.
• dotenv (^16.4.7): Loads environment variables from a .env file into the application.
• express (^4.21.2): A web framework for building the backend server.
• jsonwebtoken (^9.0.2): Implements JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for user authentication.
• multer (^1.4.5): Handles file uploads, particularly for eBooks in PDF format.
• mysql2 (^3.11.5): MySQL client used for database connections and queries.
• nodemailer (^6.9.16): Sends emails for password resets and other notifications.
• sequelize (^6.37.5): ORM for managing database models and handling queries.
• sequelize-cli (^6.6.2): Command-line tool for Sequelize migrations and model management.

Frontend Dependencies

• @emotion/react (^11.14.0): CSS-in-JS library for styling React components.
• @emotion/styled (^11.14.0): Provides styled-components support using Emotion.
• @mui/material (^6.2.0): Material-UI components for building a responsive and consistent UI.
• axios (^1.7.9): HTTP client for making API requests to the backend.
• react (^18.3.1): Core library for building user interfaces.
• react-dom (^18.3.1): DOM-specific methods for rendering React components.
• react-router-dom (^6.28.0): Routing library for navigating between pages.
• formik (^2.4.6): Simplifies form state management and validation.
• yup (^1.5.0): Schema validation library, often used with Formik for form validation.
• react-icons (^5.4.0): Icon library to easily add scalable vector icons to the UI.
• @react-pdf-viewer/core (^3.12.0): Library for rendering PDF files within React applications.
• @react-pdf-viewer/default-layout (^3.12.0): Adds layout and navigation features to the PDF viewer.

Folder Structure

LibraryManagementSystem/
├── backend/
│   ├── certs/              # Contains SSL certificates (e.g., ca.pem)
│   ├── config/             # Configuration files (e.g., database connection)
│   ├── controllers/        # API controllers
│   ├── middleware/         # Middleware for users authentication, token verification, authorisation, and files verification
│   ├── models/             # Sequelize models
│   ├── routes/             # API routes
│   ├── uploads/            # File uploads (e.g., eBook PDFs)
│   └── utils/              # Utility functions (e.g., email handling)
├── frontend/
│   ├── public/             # Public assets
│   ├── src/                # React source files
│   │   ├── components/     # Reusable React components
│   │   ├── pages/          # Application pages (e.g., Dashboard, Profile)
│   │   ├── services/       # API service integrations
│   │   └── routes/         # frontend routes
|   |   |__ hooks/          # custom hooks
|   |__ app.jsx
|   |__ main.jsx
└── README.md               # Project documentation

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the backend folder with the following:

PORT=<port_number>
DB_HOST=<local or cloud MySQL host instance url>
DB_PORT=<Database_port_number>
DB_USER=<database_user_name>
DB_PASSWORD=<database_password>
DB_NAME=defaultdb
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret
EMAIL_USER=your_email@example.com
EMAIL_PASSWORD=your_email_password
FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:5173

Application Screenshots

Home Page

Dashboard Page

User Dashboard
Admin Dashboard

Books List

Books Details

Manage Users Page

Manage Books Page

Reset Password Page

Future Enhancements

• Add real-time notifications for due dates and reminders.

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This README provides an in-depth overview of the Library Management System, highlighting its ability to manage both physical books and eBooks effectively. It also ensures a seamless user experience for both administrators and borrowers.

Contribution

We welcome contributions to improve the Library Management System! Here's how you can contribute:

1. Fork the repository: Create a personal fork of the repository on GitHub.
2. Clone your fork: Clone your fork to your local machine and create a new branch for your changes.
3. Make your changes: Implement your improvements or fixes, and ensure that your code works as expected.
4. Commit your changes: Write clear commit messages explaining your changes.
5. Push to your fork: Push your changes to your forked repository on GitHub.
6. Create a Pull Request: Open a Pull Request (PR) to the main repository with a description of your changes.

Please make sure to follow the project's coding conventions, write tests for new features, and update documentation as needed.

We appreciate all contributions, big or small!