CSCI 577A Fall 2003

HW1

Due Wed 8/27/03 2:00pm

Contact Person:

Meghna Shah (csci577@usc.edu)

Problem

The librarian of a relatively poor rural elementary school of 500 students is still using a manual method for tracking library books on loan. As a book is taken from the library its card is taken from the pocket and filed by date. Books may be borrowed for two weeks. When a book is returned its card is put back into the pocket. A book that is not returned in two weeks is considered overdue and an Overdue Book Notice is sent to the student. Clerks write overdue book notices for about 200 books each week. The notices are distributed weekly.

The following format has been used for the Overdue Book notice for many years:

Glenwood School Overdue Book Notice

Book Title:

Student Name:

Teacher Name:

Date of Notice:

Notice Number 1 2 3 (circle one)

This book is overdue please return it promptly

A student who does not return a book within three weeks is sent a second notice. A book’s not being returned in four weeks results in a third notice to the student and a listing on the head librarian’s Critical Overdue Report; the book’s card is given to the head librarian for further action.

Project

Automate the overdue book notice process using a computer in the computer class’ room. This is the first automation project in this rural school. Data may not be left on the computer from week to week. The computer is not networked.

You need not actually implement the system. Rather:

1. Design the screens that the librarian will use

2. Write a 1-2 page user’s manual for the system

3. Do a flowchart of the system

4. Design and list a reasonable number of (test case) inputs to the system and show what the output would be if the test cases were input in the listed order