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Book a Nook is an open source room reservation tool for libraries. It provides structure for multiple library branches (or systems) to add reservable spaces to the same application, allowing users to search across a network of rooms spanning a broader geographic area than would otherwise be possible.

Rooms

Rooms are library spaces that are available for use during certain hours (which may vary between rooms and are set by admins). Rooms belong to a specific library location and have attributes associated with them which patrons can use to refine searches. Most rooms can be reserved, although there is also the possibility for admins to create rooms that are discoverable by patrons but cannot be reserved.

Potential enhancements:

• indicate times when room is not available from reservation creation modal
• revise data model, for instance including geographic information

Patrons

Patrons (library users) are the largest group of users. They have limited privileges. They can create accounts, search for rooms by availability, reserve rooms for set blocks of time, and cancel their own reservations.

Potential enhancements:

• create alternate visualization modes. e.g. geographic view, calendar view
• ability for user accounts to remember "favorite" libraries

Admins

Admins are the library staff in charge of managing room reservations, who generally would work at the physical location being reserved. In practice, one library location might have multiple associated admins, and one admin might be associated with multiple libraries (although currently admins are not associated with specific library locations). Admins have access to an admin dashboard where they can add and edit rooms, add and edit locations, add and edit reservations, and approve or deny reservations. Admins can also view past reservation data.

Potential enhancements:

• allow admins to be associated with specific locations and only allow them edit rooms and reservations belonging to their associated locations
• create alternate visualization modes for current room availability and past reservation data, allowing admins to analyze room usage and demand

API

Book a Nook has an open API to allow for the development of custom apps, analyses, or visualizations of rooms and activity. This also allows it to potentially interface other social platforms. For example, by integrating with the Meetup API, event organizers could potentially see available library spaces with the right capacity located near them.