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The CS Library Kiosk provides a streamlined self-service workflow for checking out and returning books using ISBN barcode scanning.

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Checking Out Books

The checkout process uses a shopping cart system that allows you to scan multiple books before confirming your checkout.
1

Navigate to Checkout

Click the “CHECKOUT” button in the navigation bar at the top of the dashboard. This opens the checkout workspace with two panels: scan area and cart.
2

Scan book ISBN barcodes

Position the book’s ISBN barcode under the scanner. The system will:
  • Look up the book in the local database
  • Fetch metadata from Open Library API if not cached
  • Display the book cover, title, and author in the preview area
  • Show the calculated due date (14 days from checkout)
  • Add the book to your cart
The input field automatically focuses when you enter the checkout screen for quick scanning.
3

Review your cart

Each scanned book appears in the cart on the right side showing:
  • Book cover thumbnail
  • Title and author
  • Due date (formatted as “Mon DD, YYYY”)
The cart displays the message “Cart is empty” with a shopping cart icon when no items are present.
4

Confirm checkout

When ready, click the “CONFIRM CHECKOUT (X)” button at the bottom of the cart, where X is the number of items.The button is:
  • Disabled (gray) when the cart is empty
  • Enabled (blue with glow effect) when books are in the cart
5

Checkout complete

The system will:
  • Mark all books as “Checked Out” in the database
  • Create loan records with your user ID
  • Set the due date to 14 days from today
  • Display a success notification: “Successfully checked out X item(s)! Return by [Date]”
  • Clear the cart and reset the interface
  • Update the catalog to reflect availability changes
Books already checked out cannot be added to cartIf you scan a book that’s already checked out by another user, you’ll see the warning: “Book is already checked out!” and the item will not be added to your cart.

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Due Date Policy

  • All books are due 14 days from the checkout date
  • The due date is displayed in the cart for each item
  • The final checkout confirmation shows the return deadline
  • Due dates are calculated using: datetime.now() + timedelta(days=14)
Example due date display: “Due: March 18, 2026”

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Returning Books

The return process is quick and requires only a single ISBN scan.
1

Navigate to Return

Click the “RETURN” button in the navigation bar. This opens the return workspace with a large dropzone preview.
2

Scan the book ISBN

Position the book’s ISBN barcode under the scanner. The system will:
  • Validate the book exists in the database
  • Check that the book is currently checked out
  • Find the active loan record for this book
  • Display the book cover and title
3

Return confirmed

Upon successful return:
  • The book status changes from “Checked Out” to “Available”
  • The loan record is marked as returned with timestamp
  • The status badge changes from gray “WAITING FOR SCAN” to blue “RETURNED SUCCESSFULLY”
  • A success notification appears: “Book Returned!”
  • The catalog updates to show the book as available
Cannot return books that are already availableIf you scan a book that’s already been returned or was never checked out, you’ll see: “Book is already returned.”

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Return Tracking

  • The system records the exact return timestamp using datetime.now()
  • Returned books immediately become available for other users to check out
  • Your borrowing history is updated to show the return date
  • No late fees are calculated, but overdue status is tracked

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ISBN Lookup System

The kiosk uses a two-tier book lookup system:
  1. Local Database Cache: Checks the SQLite database first for fast lookups
  2. Open Library API: If not found locally, queries the Open Library API and caches the result
Books fetched from Open Library are automatically cached with:
  • ISBN number
  • Title
  • Author (first author if multiple)
  • Cover image URL
  • Initial status: “Available”

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Troubleshooting

“Book not found” error
  • Verify the ISBN barcode is scannable and complete
  • The book may not exist in Open Library database
  • Try manually entering the ISBN if the scanner fails
“Book not recognized” during return
  • The book may not have an active loan record
  • Verify you’re scanning the correct ISBN
  • Contact library staff if the issue persists
Scanner not responding
  • Ensure the input field is focused (click the scan area)
  • Check barcode is clean and undamaged
  • Try manually typing the ISBN as a fallback

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