📚 LibManage

A robust Library Management System built with Django, featuring custom user roles, book inventory management, and an automated borrowing and fine calculation system.

📖 About The Project

LibManage is a comprehensive backend system for managing library operations. It implements role-based access control, distinguishing between standard users and authors, and fully handles the lifecycle of book borrowing, returning, and fine tracking.

🏗️ Project Structure

The project is divided into the main configuration and two core applications:

• libmange/: The core project settings and routing directory.
• library/: Handles the core library logistics (Books, Tags, Borrows, and Fines).
• user/: Manages custom user authentication and role profiles.

✨ Key Features

User & Access Management

• Custom Authentication: Secure signup, login, and profile management.
• Role-Based Permissions: Users can register as standard borrowers or 'Authors'.
• Author Privileges: Users with an Author profile are granted permissions to create tags, add new books, update book details, and delete books from the catalog.

Book & Inventory System

• Catalog Management: Books are tracked by Title, Author, Description, and Tags.
• Inventory Tracking: The system automatically tracks total_copies and dynamically updates available_copies as books are checked in and out.
• Tagging System: Books can be categorized using a flexible Many-to-Many tagging system.

Borrowing & Fine Logistics

• Checkout System: Users can borrow books with a specified due date, instantly decrementing available inventory.
• Automated Returns: Returning a book automatically restores library inventory and flags the record as returned.
• Fine Calculation: Automatically calculates overdue fines based on the due date and actual return date at a rate of $1 per day.
• Borrow History: Users can view their active and past borrows, while staff can view the global borrow list.

🛠️ Built With

• Framework: Django
• Language: Python
• Database: SQLite (Default) / PostgreSQL / MySQL
• Frontend: HTML/CSS (Django Templates)

🚀 Getting Started

Follow these instructions to get a local copy of the project up and running on your machine.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher
• pip (Python package installer)

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone [https://github.com/m4shaikh/LibManage.git](https://github.com/m4shaikh/LibManage.git)