DivineManuscriptsDB

Logo Credits: Band Crowd Logo Maker

Overview

The Divine Manuscripts DB project, spearheaded by a team of computer science students at Amherst College, aims to revolutionize the way the Religion Department manages its extensive library of religious texts. This project replaces outdated Excel sheets with a sophisticated database management system, facilitating efficient data handling and enhancing the overall library experience for faculty and staff. Below, we will go over the main components of the project very briefly. For details, please refer to the respective code, documentation, and data folders intuitively organized on this repository.

Team Members

Dhyey Mavani '25: Specializing in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics.
Ahmed Aly '24: A blend of expertise in Computer Science and Political Science.
Brandon Ngacho '24: Focused on Computer Science and Mathematics.
Muhammad Ahsan Tahir '24: Combining skills in Computer Science and Mathematics.

Acknowledgement

A special gratitude to Professor Matteo Riondato for giving us the opportunity to pursue this project during COSC-257: Databases course, and for helping us throughout the development process of the same through continuous feedback and debugging support.

Project Requirements

Client Needs

A database offering organized, accessible information on religious texts.
Features including:
- Text-based filtering.
- Administrative capabilities to add/delete records.
- UI for tracking book lending and returns, focused on faculty usage.

User Restrictions

Users cannot check out multiple copies of the same book simultaneously.

Technical Specifications

ER-Diagram

The system's structure is defined by an ER-diagram illustrating the relationships between users, books, and their checkouts.

Database Schema

The schema, developed in SQL, consists of three main tables: User, Book, and Checkings.

Tech Stack

Backend: PostgreSQL database, NextJS framework on a Linux server.
Frontend: React.js with Nx.dev, utilizing TailwindCSS and Material-UI for UI design.
API Integration: Google Books API / Open Library API for book details.

Development Phases

Data Cleaning

Conversion of Excel sheets to a cleaned, normalized dataset.

Backend Development

Database setup, API creation for CRUD operations, and user authentication.

Frontend Development

Development of a user-friendly dashboard, integrating UI components with backend services.

Testing and Deployment

Comprehensive testing including CRUD operations, role-based access, and extended features.
Deployment on a Linux server for backend and a suitable platform for frontend.

Documentation and Training

Detailed documentation of the system and training for Amherst College Religion Department staff.

Project Highlights

Unique Features

Tailored Authentication: Role-based access for students, professors, and admins.
Dynamic Book Management: Admins can manage book records and oversee checkouts.
Intelligent Search and Retrieval: Advanced search with an ag-Grid display for easy access to book information.
Enhanced Professor and Admin Interface: Specialized checkout functionalities.