PROJECT INTERIM REPORT

SUBMITED FOR THE

BSc HONOURS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE

OCTOBER 2009

A VIRTUAL LIBRARY SYSTEM DESIGN

BY

GEORGE GEORGIOU

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Contents
Contents................................................................................................................................................2
Title of the project in Full:.................................................................................................................3
1. Introduction:......................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Report Introduction.................................................................................................................3
1.2 Project Introduction.................................................................................................................3
2. Background Survey............................................................................................................................3
2.1 Planning and Evaluation..........................................................................................................3
2.2 Application Background...........................................................................................................3
2.3 Information Background..........................................................................................................3
3. Ethics Review (Context):....................................................................................................................3
3.1 Process.....................................................................................................................................3
3.2 Product (Risk Analysis).......................................................................................................3
4. Progress Review:...............................................................................................................................3
4.1 Choice of Programming Language...........................................................................................3
4.2 Development method and Data Flow Diagram........................................................................3
4.3 Project Task List & Timescales.................................................................................................3
4.4 Extent and Appraisal of progress against plan.........................................................................3
4.5 Project Time Plan (Gantt chart)................................................................................................3
5. Bibliography:......................................................................................................................................3

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Title of the project in Full:

“The field of virtual reference is constantly changing. New terminology is being used
to define new means of providing reference services to users in an electronic environment.
Digital Library is widely used nowadays. However it is never an easy task to maintain digital
data in a user-friendly way. This project requires students to use c# language to design a
simple virtual library system and use an existing XML database for its information base. The
library system should provide users different means to search different types of digital data.”

1. Introduction:

1.1 Report Introduction

In this report there is going to be an expanded analysis about the project including its
own structure, content and an overview of project goals and context. Furthermore, there will
be an introduction to the project title which will show the aspects of this project, information
background will be described in depth and cogently interpreted in relation to the project goals
and processes. Moreover, the technological area of the project will be included such as the
environment that is going to be used, the aspects and qualities of different systems and finally
information about other systems, highlighting the way they have been build and how they
work. Finally, the extent and appraisal of progress against the plan is going to be review.
Alternate tasks, aspects and progress so far are going to be shown with charts along with my
own position in the development process, time plan and the entity model development. The
original time plan and task summary list will be reproduced, together with a revised plan and
discussion of the new strategy that is going to be implemented.

1.2 Project Introduction

A virtual library is actually a library but in an electronic form. All data are stored into
a database which every user can access through the search machine. It is a library that exists
electronically without a physical space or location. It is an industrial way of gathering all sort
of information in one place so that users can find what they want more easily and fast. On the
other hand, as good as it hears, virtual libraries have both advantages and disadvantages.
Even though, virtual libraries can be very useful because of the varied information
they contain. The enquiries and the options a user can have is much more compare with a
usual library and as the technology is rising, more and more options are available.
Virtual libraries are an extension form of a digital library. A digital library works like
a usual library but the main difference is that all data are stored as digital. As a result of that
all data can be accessed from any place in the world at any time. A virtual library is almost
the same but with better searching options.
Nowadays, virtual libraries are in the process of being republished. The current
editions are too old and the need of renewed with better searching and quickest results forced
people to work hard in order to achieve a better software in order to established something
much better. All around the world, users are encouraged to submit material and books for the
forthcoming versions which will have advanced and improved databases.

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 In this project a virtual library must be created, a simple one, which will hold all sort
of material (mainly books), using an existing XML database for its information base. The
system will provide users different means to search different types of digital data.
First of all, an existing XML database for its information base must be used. A User
Interface Design will be created, that will be environmentally friendly with all the users. In
addition to that, the database must hold all sorts of information and material, and every user
can add books into the database for future need or for other users. Users can also download
the information and the books they want in order to save time of searching something again.
Finally, all the added material into the database will be saved in a different area so that they
can be reviewed and make sure that everything will be in the correct location so that users
can access this material easily and correctly.

2. Background Survey

2.1 Planning and Evaluation

Effective, proactive planning will be an essential ingredient in developing a virtual

library. Libraries need to engage in strategic planning which articulates their mission, goals,
objectives and service roles in a networked environment, and which clearly establishes
priorities. To be effective, such planning must be take place within a context of strategic
directions of the library’s parent organization. It is crucial that planning be based on an
incremental approach to ensure the successful development and introduction of new systems
and services. There is also the need to address in the planning efforts the integration of new
services with those of the traditional print library. Difficult decisions will have to be made
concerning which traditional services and products we can dispense with or at least cut back
in order to begin offering new services and products that the virtual library will make
possible.

2.2 Application Background

As mentioned above the aim of the project is to create a simple virtual library based
on an existing XML database that users can add, download and access data and books for
their own needs. The procedure of how the users will load the information or add some
material will be as follows.
First of all an environmentally friendly User Interface will be created. User Interface
will have options of searching. Users can search from title of a book or an author or even the
edition of the book they are looking for. They can also search author and title of the book
together for an easier and quickest result. In addition to that, users can select a category of a
book they are searching. For example if they are looking for the “Virtual Libraries:
Information for Tomorrow's Organizations”, they can state first the category of “Computer
Science” books. This will have as a result a quickest and more specific search. Every time a
user is searching for something, the system will be searching the database to find the
appropriate information and provide it to him.
Furthermore, users will have the chance to download the files of data on their own
hard drive from the software database. A download button will appear on the interface every

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time they search for something. This will be really helpful for people who are using the
virtual library from a friend’s personal computer or even from internet cafes or library. They
can download the files and have them on their personal disk for as long as they want, for any
further future use.
In addition to that users who are searching for a specific book, they might not be able
to find it. The reason is either because they did something wrong with searching or the book
is not in the database. To avoid something like that, I am going to allow users to add material
to the database so that it can be enhanced and improved. The system will load the file from
the user’s personal hard drive and save it into the database. Before saving the file, a list of
information about the material is going to appear, so that the user will have to complete in
order to be provided in future search. All upload files from the users are going to be saved in
a different folder in the database so that they can be checked first and then be added with the
rest of the data.
Finally, in the user interface a tab will be created for the above actions along with a
“read” tab that will allow users to read the asking material without the need of downloading.
This will have as a result to give the user another opportunity to make sure that this is the
correct one he is asking for. Users can view and read the whole book through this tab.

2.3 Information Background

It is clear so far that in order to design and implement a good system, benefits and
attributes of previously design virtual library systems must be taken into consideration.
Software similar to this one is a lot available online on the web that can be viewed and used
as appropriate. In this section some of them are going to be mentioned as examples in order
to understand this project use and purpose.
 Questia – The Online Library for books and journals:
This virtual library system allows users to view and read several books and articles.
The system has a category with subjects that users can select and search in any
department they want for easier and quicker results. Users can view, through a read
tab, their asking material. Furthermore they can make their selves known users of the
library through subscription and login anytime they are using it. Search tab and
browse tab are also available for the need of searching the database.

 The WWW Virtual Library:

This system is also very similar to the project one. Users can search for data in the
database through a selection of category search tool in every aspect and then do a
quick search with the title of the book.

 NIST Virtual Library (NVL):

The National Institute of Standards and Technology Virtual Library is the online
research library open containing collections of books, journals and reports.

These three examples are similar to the project system that must be design. A system
based on a database that contains several amount of information, books, articles and reports.
Users will view and download all those kind of data according to their needs.

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3. Ethics Review (Context):

3.1 Process

The target of this project is to create a system easy to use and environmentally friendly so
that it can be used by people who may have minimum knowledge about computer
technologies and computer systems. In the future, a website with this virtual library database
system is possible to be created so that many people can access it in order to become known
and well helping.
Taking this into account, it is well understandable that this system deals with lots of
material and data, so being sensitive and protective is really important. Considering the fact
that people can users can add data to the library, there must be a really sensitive tool that will
make sure that nothing else apart from library material is added to the system. Control their
access on data; define which activities they can perform and which data they can view and act
upon. The system must prevent storage of any infected data, and to eliminate the risk of a
virus spreading into the system and affect the entire database of the system. Furthermore,
there must be an update of the system almost every day in order to make sure that nothing is
wrong with the system and that every material is in the correct order in the database. For
example, if a programming language book is still located in the section of computer science
data. Finally, it has to make sure that not only the database will have space for a specific
amount of data, but also that each section will have the same amount and space as others.

3.2 Product (Risk Analysis)

This part of the project identifies any undesirable events that might happen during the
creation of the system and during the use of the software from other people.

High Priority: Time planning must be precise. Any examinations or assessed coursework
must not affect the development of the system. Failure to create a good time planning affects
the delivery of the product on the specified date. Moreover, during the development bugs
may be found to the software. If bugs are not removed on time it might cause time troubles
on time planning.
Mid Priority: Make sure that backup of all files and folders for the project are saved so
that nothing can be lost. Accidental deletion of files might happen during the design of the
system. Failure to recover them on time might be catastrophe for the project.

4. Progress Review:

4.1 Choice of Programming Language

The virtual library system must be implemented in c# programming language as given

from the initial specification of the project. C# is a more high-level approach language than
C++ or Java that could be used instead. It is usually faster to develop in. C# is full of features
that make development faster and easier, usually at the cost of flexibility and/or runtime
performance. Taking these into account it is easy to understand the importance of this
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 language and the advantages that gives to the creation and implementation of the whole
system in order to achieve its goals.

4.2 Development method and Data Flow Diagram

In the section of developing and designing a project there are a lot of development
methods that can be performed. For this project the most suitable is the Waterfall model
which has been chosen. The waterfall model is a sequential software development process, in
which progress is seen as flowing steadily downwards (like a waterfall) through the phases of
conception, initiation, analysis, design and testing. Waterfall model process identifies system
requirements long before programming begins but the design must be specified on paper
before programming starts. In the following figure the waterfall model process for this project
is shown stage by stage the stages that have to be implemented.

Planning
Planning

Analysis

Design
Design

Implementation

Testing
Testing

4.3 Project Task List & Timescales

The following list is of the tasks that have to be completed in order to achieve the
implementation and finalization of the project. These will be performed by the development
method that was mentioned above. Some of them have already been performed with success
both on time and on implementation.

1. Supervisor Meetings: Regular meetings to ask for advice and support from the
supervisor of the project.
2. Research of the project: Research about the project. Identify the objectives and the
aims of the project in order to achieve them in later stages.
3. Complete and submit Initial Report: This report will be a general presentation of the
project and how the system is going to work. Initial Brief, Analysis of the Contents,
Project tasks, Gantt chart, Bibliography and Risk analysis.
4. Library search Design: Research on the design of the Library. How it will be design
on later stages.
5. Resource display UID & Design core process : Research on display of UID and design
the early stages of the system.

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 6. Develop interim report: A more detailed project and an extension of the initial report.
More details of the aims and objectives of the project that will later be part of the final
project report.
7. Implement Library Search: Implementation of the search machine that will be used by
the users to search for the data. Implementation will be with c# code.
8. Resource display design: Find out ideas about the display.
9. Library search UID: Research about the UID of the Virtual Library System.
10. Implement Resource Display: Implementation with c# code of the resource display.
11. Testing: Testing to ensure that the software is working properly and all the aims
achieved.
12. Final Report: Prepare and submit the final report for the project, which is the most
important part of the project alongside programming code. In this report we have to
define every aspect and objective of the overall project in details.
13. Presentation/Demonstration: This is the final stage of the project. On this stage we
have to present all the work that has been done so far in order to complete the project
and to demonstrate the database system.

4.4 Extent and Appraisal of progress against plan

Considering the task list and Gantt chart planning from the initial report, development
process of the project is going as planned and according to the time plan. However, weeks 13,
14 and 15 might go a bit out of schedule due to examination and Christmas’s period. Taking
this into consideration the planning of the project will go a bit slower than the first thought,
but I am positive that I will manage to cover everything in the weeks ahead so that the project
will finish on time and according to the first time plan.
So far, initial and interim report were finished and delivered on time. Library search
design and resource display design have been completed and all material is gathered for
future use while start the programming. This material is also used now while Library search
UID and resource display UID are being performed. Programming of the system will start
soon as long as searching is finished.
It is easy to realise that project progress is going according to initial plan and
everything is going to be implemented on time. However, for those three weeks of delay that
are going to be performed on the upcoming weeks, the Gantt chart has been changed in order
to show exactly the time planning and implementation of every aspect of the project.

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4.5 Project Time Plan (Gantt chart)

2009 2010
ID Task Name Start Finish Duration
11/10 18/10 25/10 1/11 8/11 15/11 22/11 29/11 6/12 13/12 20/12 27/12 3/1 10/1 17/1 24/1 31/1 7/2 14/2 21/2 28/2 7/3 14/3 21/3 28/3 4/4 11/4 18/4 25/4 2/5

1 Initial Report 08/10/2009 29/10/2009 3.2w

2 Library search design 30/10/2009 11/12/2009 6.2w

3 Resource display design 30/10/2009 16/12/2009 6.8w

4 Library search UID 14/12/2009 11/02/2010 8.8w

5 Resource display UID 14/12/2009 18/02/2010 9.8w

6 Interim report 29/12/2009 20/01/2010 3.4w

7 Start Coding the system 04/02/2010 05/04/2010 8.6w

8 Implement Library search 08/02/2010 08/03/2010 4.2w

9 Implement resource display 22/02/2010 01/04/2010 5.8w

10 Testing 24/03/2010 15/04/2010 3.4w

11 Final Report 08/03/2010 04/05/2010 8.4w

12 Presentation 06/04/2010 14/05/2010 5.8w

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5. Bibliography:

Hanson A., B. Lubotski Levin, Building a Visual Library, 2003, South Florida University,
USA

L. Forman, Virtual Libraries, 1941

Lavenna M. Sounders, The Virtual Library: Visions and Realities, 1992, United States of
America

Holly M. Riccio, Features – The virtual Library – Past, Present & Future,
http://www.llrx.com/features/virtuallibrary.htm December 3, 2001

Sabrina I. Pacifici, Features – Virtual Libraries: Myths and Reality,

http://www.llrx.com/features/virtual.htm , January 3, 1997

K. Commings, Article: Libraries of the future: virtual library offers the latest in information
technology, http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-19099617.html, February 1, 1997

D-Lib Magazine, iVia Open Source Virtual Library System,

http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january03/mitchell/01mitchell.html, January 2003

Frederick J. Stielow, Creating a Virtual Library: How to do it Manual, January 1999, Neal –
Schuman Publishers

Audrey P. C., Your Library goes Virtual

M. Pastine, Collection Development: Access in the Virtual Library, Vol 22, 1997, United
States of America

Lavenna M. Sounders, The Evolving Virtual Library: Visions and Case Studies, 1996

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