Scenario – Case of the Library
The Campus Library has decided to integrate the Library operations into an Internet-based Library Management System (ILMS). This new system should be able to provide a 24/7 (24 hours a day and 7 days a week) service as a real time learning support resource. To develop this system, the existing library operational functions must be correctly understood and new functions may be required in order to support all kinds of services in an on-line fashion. The following scenario describes the existing library operations and business requirements for this new system.

The Campus Library has university staff and students as its primary users. The library is also open to the public with a modest fee for the membership and they are treated with some different rules. All users must be registered with the library and issued with username (library card number) and password (pin number) for accessing their own account in ILMS.

ILMS should be able to support the routine business functions, such as search book, reserve book, renew book, and view the status of the account. When a book is borrowed or returned by the library user, this information should be captured in the system and the account of the user should be updated. This system should be able to also support the management activities such as, statistics of a frequency for a book loan over an academic year, and statistics of heavy vs. light users.

There are some business rules for the library users to follow and should be incorporated in ILMS. They are as follows:

• The library users are required to access ILMS by using a log-in – with username and password;

• Each staff member can borrow up to 22 books for up to 4 weeks, postgraduate students 15 and undergraduate students 12. The limit for a member of the public is 4 books for up to 4 weeks;

• A library user can search for a book through an on-line catalogue. If a book item is not available for borrowing, a reservation can be made and added to the reservation queue of the book. The library will send a note via Email to the one whose reservation is on the top of the queue when the book is available;

• When a book is overdue, a fine will be added each day. The staff and students have the same rate of overdue charge, yet for members of the public the fine is double that of students and staff. A reminder of the overdue item is immediately issued and sent via Email to the borrower when it occurs;

• Each user can renew book items via with telephone or on-line channels. If the user performs on-line renew function for the item in the account, then 7 times per item is the maximum self-renew without the librarian’s intervention. After 7 times, it is considered as overdue if the item is not returned in time;

• The current journals and magazines can only be read in the library, but issues of past years are bound in volumes by year. These volumes can be lent out in the same way as books;

• Each year the library has a budget for books, journals and magazines. University staff and students can recommend books for purchase, together with details such as the book title, authors, publisher, etc. The library will then contact the publisher and purchase a certain number of copies of the book. If there is a high demand on certain books, additional copies will be purchased. Journals and magazines can be recommended only by university staff. These recommendations will be reviewed and approved by a senior librarian.

The university is also holding large quantity of e-resources. The access and download of these resources need to be monitored and reported weekly to the manager who is in charge of the intellectual properties.

There is also a possibility to extend the online system to an mobile app based system to allow students to carry out some of the basic functionalities offered in the main system. The app also allows the receiving of notifications.

The university is also expanding internationally including a number of campuses in foreign countries, and also large number of distance learning students. The system should also take this into consideration and integrate the possible needs of such students.

Assumptions

Assume you have been appointed as the project manager to lead the Campus Library project. Your focus is to deliver the project – yet not to design the software! You will need to consider the timing, costs, quality, and risks factors, etc. You may also need to consider the roll out of the new system.

Using the scenario where necessary, apply knowledge and theories, learned during the lectures and within your self-studies, to:

1. Explain the characteristics and advantages of Agile project management methodology and explain how quality is assured when using this method (30 marks);
2. Explain how management theories are used in PRINCE2 principles (30 marks);
3. Prepare the product breakdown structure base on the scenario and create one work package (30 marks).

Your total report should be 5000 words. Three sections should be answered independently, such as Section One, Section Two ,Section Three.

Note: 10% of the total will be assigned to the presentation of the course work including the use of figures, tables and the completeness of references. A certain number of forms and pictures are needed in the article