> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bizaxl.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Books and Library > Manage your firm's in-house library of legal reference books, track copies, and record book lending to staff and guests. **Role: Administrator and Legal Staff** - Book Types and initial cataloguing are typically done by an Administrator. Day-to-day lending and returns can be managed by any Legal Staff member. **Upstream dependencies:** Book Types must exist before Books can be created. If the **Create Book on Purchase Invoice** setting is enabled in Law Management Settings, Books are created automatically from BAS purchase invoices - no manual entry needed for purchased books. **Downstream:** Lend Book records provide a log of who has which book, useful for tracking overdue returns. *** ## How the Library Works ```mermaid theme={null} %%{init: {'theme':'base','themeVariables':{'fontFamily':'DM Sans','primaryColor':'#e7fdf6','primaryBorderColor':'#14f1b1','primaryTextColor':'#0f172a','lineColor':'#14f1b1'}}}%% flowchart LR BT[Book Type] --> BK[Book] --> LB[Lend Book] ``` 1. **Book Type** - categorises the collection. 2. **Book** - one record per title in the library. 3. **Lend Book** - a borrowing record created each time a book leaves the shelf. *** ## Set Up Book Types Book Types let you organise your collection into categories. **Path:** Law Management → Books and Journals → Book Type → New | Field | Description | | ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Book Type** | Category name (e.g. Legislation, Commentary, Law Journal, Bare Act, Digest). | | **Abbreviation** | A short code (e.g. LEG, COM, LJ). | *** ## Add a Book to the Library **Path:** Law Management → Books and Journals → Book → New **Requires:** Book Type must exist. If purchasing through BAS and the auto-create setting is on, this step happens automatically. New Book form showing Book Title, Status, Book location, Book Type, ISBN, Publisher, Book Subtitle, Published Date, Author, Page Count, Category, and Book Price fields | Field | Description | | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Book Title** | Title of the book. | | **Status** | `Available` when on the shelf. Updated automatically to `Issued` when lent out. | | **Book location** | Where the book is physically shelved (e.g. shelf number or room). | | **Book Type** | Category this book belongs to. | | **ISBN** | The book's ISBN for reference and re-ordering. | | **Publisher** | The publishing house. | | **Book Subtitle** | The book's subtitle, if any. | | **Published Date** | The date the book was published. | | **Author** | The author's name. | | **Page Count** | Total number of pages in the book. | | **Category** | An additional classification or subject tag for the book. | | **Book Price** | The book's purchase or reference price. | | **Item Code** | Links to a BAS item - populated automatically if created from a purchase invoice. | Book list view showing ID, Book Title, and Status columns, with example records in Available and Issued status *** ## Lend a Book When a staff member or guest takes a book, create a Lend Book record immediately. **Path:** Law Management → Books and Journals → Lend Book → New **Requires:** The book must exist and have Status = Available. Lend Book form showing Book, Lending Date, Return Date, Lent To selector, Employee ID or Guest Name, and Status fields | Field | Description | | ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Book** | The book being borrowed. | | **Lending Date** | The date it is taken out. | | **Return Date** | The expected return date. | | **Lent To** | Select `Employee` for a staff member, or `Guest` for an external person. | | **Employee ID** | If lent to a staff member, select them here. | | **Guest Name** | If lent to an external person, enter their name. | | **Status** | Set to `Issued` when the book leaves the shelf, and updates to `Returned` once the book is brought back. | Lend Book list view showing ID, Status, and Lended To columns, with example records in Returned status *** ## Record a Return When a book comes back: 1. Open the Lend Book record for that borrowing. 2. Update **Status** to `Returned`. 3. Save. The book's status on the Book record updates to `Available` automatically. *** ## Check Library Availability To see which books are currently on the shelf: **Path:** Law Management → Books and Journals → Book → filter Status = Available To see all books currently on loan: **Path:** Law Management → Books and Journals → Lend Book → filter Status = Issued *** ## Tips * **Enable auto-create in Law Management Settings** if your firm buys books through BAS. This eliminates manual data entry for every purchase - the book record appears automatically. * **Record Lend Book entries immediately**, not at the end of the day. A book taken without a record is a book that can't be located when someone else needs it. * **Use the Return Date field** to set expectations. When a book is overdue, the Lend Book list filtered by Status = Issued and Return Date \< today makes it easy to follow up. * **Add descriptions for rare or specialised editions** so staff can identify whether the specific edition they need is in the library before searching the shelf.