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Welcome, Librarian!

This guide covers all daily operations for librarians in the SWL Library Management System. Learn how to approve requests, process returns, manage inventory, and handle overdue loans.

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Getting Started

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Accessing the System

1

Login

Navigate to /auth/login and enter your credentials using your document ID and password
2

Auto-redirect to Dashboard

After successful login, you’ll automatically be redirected to the admin dashboard at /dashboard
3

Review Overview

Your dashboard displays key metrics and loan statistics at a glance

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Admin Dashboard Overview

The admin dashboard (/dashboard) is your central hub for managing all loan operations.

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Dashboard Features

Loan Statistics

  • Pending requests count
  • Active loans count
  • Returned loans count
  • Overdue loans count

Top Items

View the 5 most frequently borrowed items to understand usage patterns

Status Filtering

Filter loans by status: pendiente, activo, devuelto, or atrasado

Loan Details

Each loan displays:
  • User information
  • Item details
  • Request and due dates
  • Current status
  • Actions available

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Status Filter Navigation

Use the status filter tabs to quickly navigate between loan types: 
/dashboard?status=pendiente  → View pending approval requests
/dashboard?status=activo     → View active loans
/dashboard?status=devuelto   → View returned items
/dashboard?status=atrasado   → View overdue loans (requires immediate attention)

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Processing Loan Requests

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Approving Loan Requests

1

Access Pending Requests

Navigate to /dashboard?status=pendiente to view all pending loan requests
2

Review Request Details

For each request, verify:
  • User information and eligibility
  • Item requested and availability
  • Environment (interno vs externo)
  • User’s current active loans
3

Approve the Loan

Click the “Approve” button for the loan. The system will:
  • Change status from ‘pendiente’ to ‘activo’
  • Set the approval date to current timestamp
  • Keep the item instance marked as ‘prestado’
  • Automatically redirect you to active loans view
4

Notify the User

Inform the user their request is approved and they can pick up the item
Route Reference: The approve action is handled at /approve/<loan_id> (POST method)

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What Happens on Approval

When you approve a loan:
  1. Status Change: Loan status changes from ‘pendiente’ → ‘activo’
  2. Timestamp: approval_date is set to current UTC time
  3. Due Date: Already calculated (15 days from request)
  4. Item Status: Remains ‘prestado’ (was reserved when user submitted request)
  5. Database Commit: Changes are saved to the database
  6. Flash Message: Success confirmation displayed

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Rejecting Loan Requests

If a request cannot be fulfilled:
1

Select Pending Request

Find the request in the pending loans view
2

Click Reject

Use the reject button to deny the request
3

System Actions

The system automatically:
  • Changes loan status to ‘rechazado’
  • Adds observation: “Rechazado por el bibliotecario”
  • Releases the reserved item (status: ‘prestado’ → ‘disponible’)
  • Makes the item available for other users
4

Communicate Reason

Inform the user why their request was rejected (system observation is generic)
Important: Only reject requests with status ‘pendiente’. The system prevents rejecting active or returned loans.
Route Reference: Rejection is handled at /reject/<loan_id> (POST method)

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Processing Returns

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Returning Items

1

Receive Item from User

Accept the returned item at the library desk
2

Inspect Condition

Verify the item condition matches what was loaned
3

Locate Loan Record

Find the loan in your dashboard (check ‘activo’ or ‘atrasado’ status)
4

Process Return

Click the “Return” button. The system will:
  • Freeze the current penalty amount (for books)
  • Change loan status to ‘devuelto’
  • Set return_date to current timestamp
  • Release the item instance (status: ‘prestado’ → ‘disponible’)
  • Make the item available for new requests
5

Collect Penalties (if applicable)

If the loan was overdue and is a book, collect the penalty fee displayed
Route Reference: Returns are processed at /loan/<loan_id>/return (POST method)

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Understanding the Return Process

The return operation performs critical inventory management: 
# What happens in the backend:
1. Final penalty is frozen (penalty_fee → final_penalty)
2. Loan status changes to 'devuelto'
3. Return date is timestamp recorded
4. InventoryService.release_instance() is called
   - Releases the physical item
   - Changes instance status to 'disponible'
   - Transactional safety ensures consistency
5. Database commit saves all changes
Critical: If the inventory release fails, the entire transaction rolls back. This prevents data inconsistency.

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Managing Overdue Loans

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Automated Overdue Detection

The system automatically checks for overdue loans using a background scheduler:
  • Automatic Process: Runs periodically to detect overdue items
  • Status Update: Changes ‘activo’ loans to ‘atrasado’ when due_date passes
  • No Manual Action Required: The scheduler handles detection automatically

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Handling Overdue Items

1

View Overdue Loans

Navigate to /dashboard?status=atrasado to see all overdue loans
2

Contact Users

Reach out to users with overdue items using their contact information
3

Monitor Penalties

For books, penalties accumulate daily. Check the penalty_fee displayed
4

Process Returns

When user returns the item, process normally - the penalty is automatically frozen
Penalty Calculation:
  • Only applies to books (category: ‘libro’)
  • Default rate: $5,000 COP per day
  • Calculated as: days_overdue × penalty_rate
  • Frozen at return time in final_penalty field

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No Penalties for Equipment

Laptops and accessories do not accrue financial penalties. However, users with overdue equipment may face borrowing restrictions.

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Catalog and Inventory Management

Librarians have full access to catalog and inventory management.

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Managing the Catalog

1

Access Catalog Management

Navigate to /catalog to view and manage the catalog
2

Search Catalog Items

Use the search box to filter by title, name, or category
3

Add New Catalog Entry

Fill out the form:
  • Title or Name
  • Category (libro, computo, general)
  • Author or Brand
Submit to create the catalog entry
4

View Item Details

Each catalog entry shows total instances and available count
Route Reference: Catalog management is at /catalog with POST for creating new entries

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Deleting Catalog Entries

Restriction: You cannot delete catalog entries that have physical instances registered. Delete all instances first.
To delete a catalog entry:
  • Navigate to /catalog
  • Find the item with 0 instances
  • Click delete button
  • Route: /catalog/delete/<catalog_id> (POST)

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Managing Item Instances

1

Access Instance Management

From the catalog view, click on a catalog item to manage its instancesRoute: /catalog/<catalog_id>/instances
2

Add New Instance

Fill out the instance form:
  • Unique Code: Serial number, barcode, or identifier (must be unique)
  • Condition: Description (e.g., “New”, “Good”, “Fair”)
  • Status: disponible, mantenimiento, perdido
3

Submit

Click to add the physical instance to inventory
4

View All Instances

See all instances for this catalog item with their status and condition
Unique Codes: Each instance must have a unique identifier. The system prevents duplicate codes across the entire inventory.

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Updating Instance Status

Change instance status for maintenance or lost items:
1

Locate Instance

In the instance management view, find the specific instance
2

Select New Status

Choose from:
  • disponible: Ready to loan
  • mantenimiento: Under repair/maintenance
  • perdido: Lost or missing
3

Update

Submit the status changeRoute: /instance/update_status/<instance_id> (POST)
Note: You cannot change status to ‘prestado’ manually - this is automatically managed by the loan system.

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Deleting Instances

1

Verify No Active Loans

Ensure the instance is not part of any pending, active, or overdue loan
2

Delete Instance

Click delete button for the instanceRoute: /instance/delete/<instance_id> (POST)
The system prevents deletion of instances involved in active loans to maintain data integrity.

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Fast Loan Processing

Librarians can process walk-in requests using the fast loan feature:
1

Access Fast Loan

Navigate to /fast_loan
2

Search for User

Enter the user’s document ID and search
3

Verify User

System displays user information and their role
4

Select Item

Choose from available catalog items
  • Premium users see specialized equipment
  • General users see standard items
5

Configure Loan

  • Item type (computing equipment limits quantity to 1)
  • Quantity (if not computing)
  • Environment (interno/externo)
6

Submit

Process the loan immediately - it’s created as ‘activo’ for fast processing
Fast loan reserves instances transactionally and creates active loans in one step, bypassing the approval workflow.

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Best Practices

Start each day by:
  1. Reviewing overdue loans (/dashboard?status=atrasado)
  2. Checking pending requests (/dashboard?status=pendiente)
  3. Contacting users with items due today
  • Approve requests during business hours for same-day pickup
  • Verify user eligibility before approving (check active loans)
  • Batch-approve multiple requests from same user if appropriate
  • Always inspect item condition before processing return
  • Collect penalties immediately for overdue books
  • Verify item unique code matches the loan record
  • Use specific, consistent unique codes (e.g., “LAPTOP-001”, “BOOK-ISBN”)
  • Update instance status promptly when items need maintenance
  • Mark lost items immediately to prevent false availability
  • Provide reasons when rejecting requests (call or email)
  • Send reminders 1-2 days before due dates
  • Follow up on overdue items daily
  • Review statistics to identify trends
  • Check for any pending actions
  • Ensure all returns are processed

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Understanding Role Access

As a librarian (bibliotecario role), you have access to:
Allowed Actions:
  • View and manage the admin dashboard
  • Approve and reject loan requests
  • Process loan returns
  • Manage catalog (add, view, search, delete entries)
  • Manage item instances (add, update status, delete)
  • Access fast loan feature
  • View all loan statistics and history
Restricted Actions:
  • Cannot create, edit, or delete users (admin only)
  • Cannot modify system configuration
  • Cannot access user management pages

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Cause: Loan may not be in ‘pendiente’ status or database issueSolution:
  1. Refresh the page
  2. Verify loan status is ‘pendiente’
  3. Check if item instance is still in ‘prestado’ status
  4. Contact admin if issue persists
Cause: Inventory release failureSolution:
  1. Transaction automatically rolls back
  2. Verify instance status in database
  3. Try return process again
  4. Contact admin if repeated failures
Cause: Catalog has registered instancesSolution:
  1. Navigate to instance management for that catalog
  2. Delete all instances first
  3. Return to catalog and delete entry
Cause: Instance with that unique code already existsSolution:
  1. Use a different, unique identifier
  2. Search inventory to find existing instance with that code
  3. Use sequential numbering to avoid conflicts
Cause: User may have exceeded limits or have overdue itemsSolution:
  1. Check user’s active loans in their dashboard
  2. Verify they don’t have:
    • An active laptop (for laptop requests)
    • 2 active accessories (for accessory requests)
    • Overdue items affecting eligibility

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Quick Reference: Key Routes

ActionRouteMethod
Admin Dashboard/dashboardGET
Filter by Status/dashboard?status=<status>GET
Approve Loan/approve/<loan_id>POST
Reject Loan/reject/<loan_id>POST
Process Return/loan/<loan_id>/returnPOST
Catalog Management/catalogGET/POST
Delete Catalog/catalog/delete/<id>POST
Manage Instances/catalog/<catalog_id>/instancesGET/POST
Update Instance Status/instance/update_status/<instance_id>POST
Delete Instance/instance/delete/<instance_id>POST
Fast Loan/fast_loanGET/POST

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Need Help?

Technical Issues

Contact system administrators for:
  • Database errors
  • Permission problems
  • System configuration issues

Policy Questions

Consult with senior librarians or administrators for:
  • Penalty policy clarifications
  • Special request handling
  • User eligibility questions
You’re equipped to efficiently manage all daily librarian operations in the SWL Library Management System!

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