Suggestions for a physcial, yet P2P-esque library system for my charity (EWB)

[peteruk]

Hey everyone,

To set the scene: I'm currently interning for international development charity Engineers Without Borders UK whom do a great many things to further the use of appropriate technology to combat world poverty, more than I could list here.

In our Education program we have for some time run a library of books on sustainability, design and other development related books on the pretext that such literatures are often expensive, rare and generally hard to obtain (due to the lack of Uni courses based specifically around it). The library worked by EWB documenting every book currently featured in the bookcase next to me, advertising these and then interested people could email a request for a particular book and we would post it to them. So far leases have been unlimited unless another request has come in and there has been no available copy to give, in which case we would politely notify the current leaser that someone was waiting.

This has worked moderately well (although uptake hasn't been particularly shocking from what I can gather) but recently I suggested a new idea the organsiation would like me to follow up. Basically, inspired by the fact I have a handful of such rare and pricey gems of text on my shelf at home but yet didn't want to donate them to the library here, thought that we needed some kind of system that involved peers operating as hosts also. That is to say, I am able to document and upload the books I own and offer them for borrowing just like the EWB HQ does. In return, I get the benefit of having access to a wider base of books. The thing is, we would need some kind of new augmentation to our website as emailing, while adequate to begin with, may struggle. If however you think I'm biting off an entire cheese bagette then simpler suggestions are very welcome (such as a series of people's 'book profiles' with an email address).

Particular specifics could be brought into the system: an ISBN-lookup for detail-prefilling; a section where I can specify maximum loan times for each book and maybe even a feedback section and perhaps also a review section in the future.

Inevitably this may well have to be something we get the designers in again for, but even if we do, getting some idea of what's best to suggest may save us money and get a more effective service in the long run, having very limited funds as it is.

If you need any more information please do not hestitate to ask me.

If anyone can share their website wisdom I'd be very grateful.
Peter

 

[rsatd]

If I read that right, you want a database that lists books, who has them now and what are free to take out?

 

[peteruk]

If I read that right, you want a database that lists books, who has them now and what are free to take out?

Yes, but people need to be able to enter their own information into the database easily and other people's entries need to be viewable in very presentable and accessable manner (rather than a bland table). There also then needs to be some, almost commerce-esque (perhaps a shop-based code could be an idea) way of selecting and requesting one for loan.

 

[rsatd]

Hmm, my google fu is weak today, did not manage to find anything open source project that fits, but it should not be entirely hard to write something like that, assuming you have clear requirements and designs of how you want it to look ready. But someone who actually does web development for a job will help you more on price then me, I just play around with it for fun.

What you want sounds relatively easy to me though, especially if it is just purely books, but even then expanding the system to say include relavent dvd's shouldn't be hard either.

 

[peteruk]

Hmm, my google fu is weak today, did not manage to find anything open source project that fits, but it should not be entirely hard to write something like that, assuming you have clear requirements and designs of how you want it to look ready. But someone who actually does web development for a job will help you more on price then me, I just play around with it for fun.

What you want sounds relatively easy to me though, especially if it is just purely books, but even then expanding the system to say include relavent dvd's shouldn't be hard either.

That's promising information, thank you.

I'll keep my fingers crossed more wise webber will pass by and offer some advice.