An online user registration system for YMCA comprehensive institute library, Buwambo campus

Abstract

This research report “ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEM FOR YMCA BUWAMBO CAMPUS” aimed at improving the form of registration for students at the campus library. With the manual form of registration identified to be burdening, one that was prone to human error, and other challenges accompanied. The researchers were aimed at “Conducting a preliminary survey of the existing manual registration system to facilitate the design of an Library registration system for YMCA Comprehensive Institute, Buwambo Campus.” With the specific objectives being; (i) To examine the existing manual Library User Registration system used by YMCA Comprehensive Institute, Buwambo Campus. (ii) To analyze the major challenges of the current manual Library User Registration system. (iii) To specify requirements most likely to lead a successful design of an Online Library User Registration system for YMCA Buwambo Campus and (iv) To design an Online Library User Registration System for YMCA Buwambo campus Library. Literature showed the challenged involved with manual registration amongst the library users but also portrayed the possibility of designing an online system that can be centrally managed to affect the services provided for by the library. A case study design that involved both qualitative and quantitative data collection was used with a sample size 77 respondents out of the targeted 80. Simple random sampling was used as the sampling strategy while interviews, observations, and questionnaires were used as the data collection tools. Findings were analyzed, interpreted and displayed in tables, graphs and pie charts. They showed the existing manual registration system that involved used of books, registers and paper forms. All these proved to be inconvenient given the large number of users. Findings also uncovered the user requirements for the new system to meet their demands and these include an easy to use system, a reliable and affordable to the institute. The system was finally designed using interactive methods to ensure that it met its usability requirement. MySQL server was used as the back end database given its possibility of being hosted as a local host, HTML5, PHP, and CSS were used for the front end design and interfaces. It can be concluded that the designed system met the main objective and met the user requirements and expectation. However, it was recommended that the institute provides funds for training, provision of hardware, and ensuring compliance to the set rules and regulations.