Library Management System

A modern, full-stack Library Management System featuring role-based access control, secure authentication, and cloud-based file storage.

Live Demo (User Portal) · Admin Portal · API Documentation

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Table of Contents

• Overview
• Key Features
• Tech Stack
• Architecture
• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation
  • Environment Variables
• API Reference
• Role-Based Access Control
• File Upload Pipeline
• Database Schema
• Deployment
• Contributing
• License

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Overview

The Library Management System (LMS) is a comprehensive solution designed to streamline library operations. Built with modern web technologies, it provides separate interfaces for members, librarians, and administrators, ensuring secure and efficient management of books, users, and borrowing activities.

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Key Features

Feature	Description
Multi-Role Authentication	Secure JWT-based authentication with role-specific access levels
Book Management	Full CRUD operations for books with image upload support
Borrowing System	Track book loans, returns, and borrowing history
User Management	Profile management with avatar uploads
Admin Dashboard	Comprehensive analytics and system management tools
Cloud Storage	Seamless image uploads via Cloudinary integration
Responsive Design	Mobile-first UI built with TailwindCSS

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Tech Stack

Frontend

Technology	Purpose
React 19	UI Framework
TypeScript	Type Safety
Vite	Build Tool
TailwindCSS	Styling
Axios	HTTP Client
React Router	Navigation

Backend

Technology	Purpose
Node.js	Runtime Environment
Express.js	Web Framework
TypeScript	Type Safety
MongoDB	Database
Mongoose	ODM
JWT	Authentication
Bcrypt	Password Hashing
Multer	File Handling
Cloudinary	Cloud Storage

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Architecture

library-management-system/
├── frontend/                 # Member-facing application
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── assets/          # Static resources
│   │   ├── components/      # Reusable UI components
│   │   ├── pages/           # Route components
│   │   ├── services/        # API integration layer
│   │   ├── models/          # TypeScript interfaces
│   │   ├── constants/       # Application constants
│   │   ├── context/         # React Context providers
│   │   └── App.tsx          # Application entry point
│   └── package.json
│
├── admin/                    # Admin & Librarian dashboard
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── assets/
│   │   ├── components/
│   │   ├── pages/
│   │   ├── services/
│   │   ├── models/
│   │   ├── constants/
│   │   ├── context/
│   │   └── App.tsx
│   └── package.json
│
└── backend/                  # REST API server
    ├── src/
    │   ├── config/          # Environment & database configuration
    │   ├── controllers/     # Request handlers
    │   ├── models/          # MongoDB schemas
    │   ├── routes/          # API route definitions
    │   ├── middlewares/     # Auth, RBAC, file upload middleware
    │   ├── services/        # Business logic & external services
    │   └── server.ts        # Server entry point
    ├── uploads/             # Temporary file storage
    └── package.json

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed:

• Node.js (v18 or higher)
• npm or yarn
• MongoDB (local instance or Atlas connection)
• Cloudinary account (for image storage)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/Haritha0705/library_management_system.git
   cd library-management-system

2. Install backend dependencies

   cd backend
   npm install

3. Install frontend dependencies

   cd ../frontend
   npm install

4. Install admin dashboard dependencies

   cd ../admin
   npm install

Environment Variables

Create .env files in each directory with the following configurations:

Backend (.env)

PORT=3000
MONGO_URI=mongodb+srv://<username>:<password>@<cluster>.mongodb.net/<database>
JWT_SECRET=your-secure-secret-key
CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME=your-cloud-name
CLOUDINARY_API_KEY=your-api-key
CLOUDINARY_API_SECRET=your-api-secret

Frontend (.env)

VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:3000

Admin Dashboard (.env)

VITE_BACKEND_URL=http://localhost:3000

Running the Application

Start each service in separate terminal windows:

# Terminal 1 - Backend
cd backend && npm run dev

# Terminal 2 - Frontend
cd frontend && npm run dev

# Terminal 3 - Admin Dashboard
cd admin && npm run dev

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API Reference

Base URL: https://library-management-system-alez.onrender.com/api/v1

Authentication

Method	Endpoint	Description
POST	/auth/register	Register a new user
POST	/auth/login	Authenticate user and receive JWT

Users

Method	Endpoint	Description	Access
GET	/user/:id	Get user profile	Authenticated
PUT	/user/:id	Update user profile	Owner
DELETE	/user/:id	Delete user account	Owner/Admin

Books

Method	Endpoint	Description	Access
GET	/books	List all books	Public
GET	/books/:bookId	Get book details	Public
GET	/books/search?title=	Search books by title	Public
POST	/books	Add new book	Librarian
PUT	/books/:id	Update book	Librarian
DELETE	/books/:id	Delete book	Librarian
POST	/books/borrow/:bookId/:memberId	Borrow a book	Member
POST	/books/return/:bookId/:memberId	Return a book	Member
POST	/books/check-borrow	Check borrow status	Member
POST	/books/borrow-history	Get borrow history	Member

Dashboard

Method	Endpoint	Description	Access
GET	/dashboard/counts	Get system statistics	Admin/Librarian
GET	/dashboard/members	List all members	Admin/Librarian
GET	/dashboard/librarians	List all librarians	Admin
POST	/dashboard/librarians	Add new librarian	Admin
DELETE	/dashboard/librarians/:id	Remove librarian	Admin
GET	/dashboard/borrowed-books	List borrowed books	Admin/Librarian

📖 Full API Documentation: View on Postman

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Role-Based Access Control

The system implements three distinct user roles with specific permissions:

Role	Permissions
Member	Browse catalog, borrow/return books, manage personal profile, view borrowing history
Librarian	All Member permissions + manage book inventory, view member records
Admin	Full system access including librarian management, system configuration, and analytics

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File Upload Pipeline

The application uses a two-stage upload process for optimal performance and reliability:

┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐
│    Client    │────▶│    Multer    │────▶│  Cloudinary  │────▶│   MongoDB    │
│  (File Form) │     │ (Temp Store) │     │   (Cloud)    │     │  (URL Ref)   │
└──────────────┘     └──────────────┘     └──────────────┘     └──────────────┘

1. Client submits file via multipart form
2. Multer temporarily stores file on server
3. Cloudinary receives and hosts the optimized image
4. MongoDB stores the secure CDN URL

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Database Schema

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Deployment

The application is deployed across multiple platforms for optimal performance:

Service	Platform	URL
User Portal	Vercel	library-management-system-eight-peach.vercel.app
Admin Dashboard	Vercel	library-management-system-kgjl.vercel.app
Backend API	Render	library-management-system-alez.onrender.com

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Please ensure your code follows the existing style conventions and includes appropriate tests.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

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Made with ❤️ by Haritha