Requires some flavour of Linux and Python. Windows users will have to figure out how it works themselves and edit the code to suit.
Also requires the python packages: biblio zbar copy pygtk gtk amazonlookup - For CD barcode lookup MySQLdb - For MySQl database or sqlite3 - For sqlite database reportlab - For PDF report generation qrencode - For QR code generation
Get the code with:
git clone git://github.com/EvansMike/librarian.git
Install with
python setup.py install
I wanted to catalog all my books using their barcodes as input and track who borrows my books. That’s all. I looked online for a program that would do just that and couldn’t find any that supported barcode input. The idea of typing in book details didn’t appeal, so wrote this.
This is a simple application to catalogue your library using the ISBN barcode and the zbarcam application with an ordinary webcam. The scan triggers a lookup on the database and the book details are downloaded then commited to the local database.
It uses MySQL or sqlite. The database config file is created if none exists. Use database.schema.sql, after creating the database, to populate the database with the required tables:
mysql -p books < database.schema.sql
You have to create the database first using your favourite method/tool. The database name (books in the example above) can be anything as long as the config file matches. If the config file contains a password so take care to make it secure from prying eyes.
Can also use sqlite. Edit db_conf.cfg to use whatever database you like. Sqlite is easier to set up but not so useful if you want to access the data from multiple computers.
Everytime you scan a book a QRcode can be generated. You may not want this behaviour. BY default the behaviour is turned off in the config file. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I admit to never have used the QRcodes for anything. :)
Older books without bar codes can be manually input via the Query/Edit book window. It’s a bit of a pain though if you have lots of books.
To get a list of borrowed books from mysql:
SELECT o_date, title, author, borrowers.name
FROM borrows, borrowers, books
WHERE borrows.borrower = borrowers.id
AND books.id = borrows.book
AND borrows.i_date IS NULL;
The sqlite2 database file is created from the database.schema.sql file with:
./mysql2sqlite3 --no-data -p books | sqlite3 database_schema.db
You can now scan DVDs and CDs provided you have a Amazon web services account. http://aws.amazon.com to sign up. As far as I know, low useage will attract no charge, likely to be most domestic users. CD lookup uses Amazon to get CD data from the barcode, if it’s not in Amazon’s database this will fail. Not sure what other databases there are for CD case barcodes. Perhaps an application to add CD’s as they are played using freedb?
Setting user database password stuff is up to you for the moment. I will add a GUI. NOTE: Passwords are stored as plain text in the config file. On first run a default .db_config.cnf file is written in your home directory, note that this is a hidden dot-file. This must edited with the details of your database plus any other preferences.
To create the tables you will need the books_schema.sql file from the sources. After creating the database run: mysql ←p> books < books_schema.sql to create the tables. The -p is required if your DB is password protected. Obviously you can call the DB anything you like, it doesn’t have to be books, as long as the .db_config.cfg file contains matching details.
To get who borrowed what and for how long:
SELECT title, name, DATEDIFF(i_date,o_date) AS days FROM borrows, borrowers, books WHERE borrows.borrower=borrowers.id AND books.id=borrows.book;
Apologies to MS Windows, amd Mac users, I don’t use MS Windows or a Mac myself so I have no way to develop or test code other than on Linux. You will have to adapt the code to suit.
Stuff that need fixing for MS Windows include zbarcam code in guiscan.py, database connections to anything other than MySQl and sqlite3 is also not currently supported.