INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR DECISION SUPPORT IN LIBRARY BOOK SELECTION A CASE STUDY OF BURAPHA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the problems in the book selection process at Burapha University Library and to develop an information system to support book selection decisions. The system aims to solve four main problems in the workflow: 1) the multi-step, time-consuming book selection process, including the preparation of summary reports on book quantities and budgets for administrators; 2) users' inability to check for duplication in book proposals and to immediately track the status of their requests, having to wait for official notification; 3) delayed access to selection data and budget utilization information until the completion of the process; 4) the lack of a book recommendation system to promote efficient use of existing books. The developed information system supports key functions including decision support for librarians in book selection, book proposal submissions, real-time budget management, notification and status tracking, a user behavior-based book recommendation system, and reporting tools for administrators. The system was built using the Laravel framework with MYSQL database. Performance evaluation by seven expert librarians specializing in book selection revealed an overall excellent effectiveness rating of 4.63, particularly in functional requirements testing 4.75 and security testing 4.71. The system reduces book selection time, decreases proposal duplication, increases budget transparency, and helps users receive desired books quickly. Ad ditionally, it enables administrators to efficiently monitor and analyze book acquisition and budget utilization data.