diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8358066..ec6e91e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -57,3 +57,8 @@ test-env-up:
 # Stop test environment
 test-env-down:
 	podman compose down -v
+
+# Verify project guidelines compliance
+verify-guidelines:
+	@echo "Running project guidelines verification..."
+	@./scripts/verify-quick.sh
diff --git a/scripts/README.md b/scripts/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..30597c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# Project Guidelines Verification
+
+## Quick Start
+
+Run the quick verification script:
+```bash
+make verify-guidelines
+# or
+./scripts/verify-quick.sh
+```
+
+## What It Checks
+
+1. **Custom CSS**: Detects `<style>` tags in template files (should use TailwindCSS)
+2. **JavaScript Files**: Finds .js files outside node_modules/ (should be TypeScript)
+3. **Secrets**: Checks for .env, credentials.json in repository
+4. **Build**: Verifies code compiles with `go build`
+5. **Binaries**: Finds compiled binaries in repository (should build through containers)
+
+## Understanding Results
+
+- ✅ **PASS**: Guideline followed correctly
+- ⚠️ **WARNING**: Minor issue, consider fixing
+- ❌ **ERROR**: Critical violation, should fix before committing
+
+## Exit Codes
+
+- `0`: All checks passed (or only warnings)
+- `1`: Errors found, fix before committing
+
+## Pre-commit Hook Integration (Optional)
+
+Add to `.git/hooks/pre-commit`:
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+./scripts/verify-quick.sh
+```
+
+This will automatically check guidelines before every commit.
+
+## CI/CD Integration
+
+Add to your GitHub Actions or GitLab CI:
+```yaml
+- name: Verify Project Guidelines
+  run: make verify-guidelines
+```
+
+## Current Known Issues
+
+The script will currently report:
+- 12 templates with custom CSS (these need Tailwind conversion)
+- 2 JavaScript files (web/static/header.js, web/static/search.js)
+- 1 binary file (./bookhoard)
+
+These should be addressed to fully comply with PROJECT_GUIDELINES.md.
diff --git a/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh b/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3bd20df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/verify-guidelines.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,285 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Bookhoard Project Guidelines Verification Script
+# Checks entire codebase against PROJECT_GUIDELINES.md
+# Usage: make verify-guidelines or ./scripts/verify-guidelines.sh
+
+set -e
+
+# Colors for output
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m' # No Color
+
+# Counters
+ERRORS=0
+WARNINGS=0
+PASSED=0
+
+echo -e "${BLUE}=== Bookhoard Project Guidelines Verification ===${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+# Function to print error
+error_msg() {
+    echo -e "${RED}✗ ERROR: $1${NC}"
+    ((ERRORS++))
+}
+
+# Function to print warning
+warning_msg() {
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ WARNING: $1${NC}"
+    ((WARNINGS++))
+}
+
+# Function to print success
+success_msg() {
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ PASS: $1${NC}"
+    ((PASSED++))
+}
+
+# Function to print section header
+section() {
+    echo ""
+    echo -e "${BLUE}--- $1 ---${NC}"
+}
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 1: No Custom CSS (Frontend & Styling)
+###############################################################################
+section "Frontend: Custom CSS Check"
+
+# Check for <style> tags in templates
+echo "Checking for <style> tags in template files..."
+STYLE_FILES=$(grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null || true)
+STYLE_COUNT=$(echo "$STYLE_FILES" | grep -v "^$" | wc -l)
+if [ "$STYLE_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $STYLE_COUNT template files with <style> tags"
+    echo "$STYLE_FILES"
+else
+    success_msg "No <style> tags found in templates"
+fi
+
+# Check for .css files
+echo "Checking for .css files..."
+CSS_FILES=$(find . -name "*.css" -not -path "./node_modules/*" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$CSS_FILES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $CSS_FILES .css files (should use TailwindCSS)"
+    find . -name "*.css" -not -path "./node_modules/*" 2>/dev/null
+else
+    success_msg "No .css files found"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 2: No JavaScript Files (Use TypeScript)
+###############################################################################
+section "Frontend: JavaScript vs TypeScript"
+
+echo "Checking for .js files (should be .ts)..."
+JS_FILES=$(find . -name "*.js" -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./docs/*" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$JS_FILES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $JS_FILES .js files outside node_modules/"
+    find . -name "*.js" -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./docs/*" 2>/dev/null
+else
+    success_msg "No .js files found (TypeScript used)"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 3: No Secrets Committed
+###############################################################################
+section "Security: No Secrets Committed"
+
+echo "Checking for .env files..."
+ENV_FILES=$(find . -name ".env*" -not -name ".env.example" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$ENV_FILES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found .env files in repository"
+    find . -name ".env*" -not -name ".env.example" 2>/dev/null
+else
+    success_msg "No .env files found"
+fi
+
+echo "Checking for credentials files..."
+CRED_FILES=$(find . -type f \( -name "*credentials*" -o -name "*secret*" -o -name "*password*" \) | grep -v node_modules | grep -v ".git" | wc -l)
+if [ "$CRED_FILES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    warning_msg "Found $CRED_FILES files with credential-related names"
+    find . -type f \( -name "*credentials*" -o -name "*secret*" -o -name "*password*" \) | grep -v node_modules | grep -v ".git"
+else
+    success_msg "No credential files found"
+fi
+
+echo "Checking for secrets in git history..."
+if git rev-parse --git-dir > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    SECRETS_IN_HISTORY=$(git log --all --full-history --source -- "*credentials.json" "*.env" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+    if [ "$SECRETS_IN_HISTORY" -gt 0 ]; then
+        warning_msg "Found $SECRETS_IN_HISTORY references to secrets in git history"
+    else
+        success_msg "No secrets in git history"
+    fi
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 4: No Local Server Binaries
+###############################################################################
+section "Build: No Local Binaries"
+
+echo "Checking for server binaries in repository..."
+BINARIES=$(find . -type f -name "bookhoard" -o -name "server" -o -name "bookhoard.exe" -o -name "server.exe" 2>/dev/null | grep -v node_modules | grep -v ".git" | wc -l)
+if [ "$BINARIES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $BINARIES binary files (should build through Dockerfile)"
+    find . -type f \( -name "bookhoard" -o -name "server" \) 2>/dev/null | grep -v node_modules | grep -v ".git"
+else
+    success_msg "No server binaries found"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 5: No New Migration Files
+###############################################################################
+section "Database: No New Migration Files"
+
+echo "Checking for migration files..."
+if [ -d "migrations" ]; then
+    MIGRATION_COUNT=$(find migrations/ -name "*.sql" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+    if [ "$MIGRATION_COUNT" -gt 1 ]; then
+        error_msg "Found $MIGRATION_COUNT migration files (should merge into current one)"
+        find migrations/ -name "*.sql" 2>/dev/null
+    else
+        success_msg "Migration structure OK (single file or no migrations)"
+    fi
+else
+    success_msg "No migrations directory found"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 6: Go Code Quality
+###############################################################################
+section "Backend: Go Code Standards"
+
+echo "Checking Go version..."
+if [ -f "go.mod" ]; then
+    GO_VERSION=$(grep "go " go.mod | head -1)
+    success_msg "Go version: $GO_VERSION"
+else
+    error_msg "go.mod not found"
+fi
+
+echo "Checking for pgx v5 driver usage..."
+PGX_V4=$(grep -r "github.com/jackc/pgx/v4" . --include="*.go" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+PGX_V5=$(grep -r "github.com/jackc/pgx/v5" . --include="*.go" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$PGX_V4" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found pgx v4 usage (should use v5): $PGX_V4 occurrences"
+elif [ "$PGX_V5" -eq 0 ]; then
+    warning_msg "No pgx driver found (is database implemented yet?)"
+else
+    success_msg "Using pgx v5 driver"
+fi
+
+echo "Checking for OOP patterns (class keyword)..."
+CLASS_PATTERNS=$(grep -r "type [A-Z].*struct {" internal/ --include="*.go" | grep -v "// OOP" | wc -l)
+if [ "$CLASS_PATTERNS" -gt 50 ]; then
+    warning_msg "Found $CLASS_PATTERNS struct definitions (review for OOP patterns)"
+else
+    success_msg "Struct definitions within reasonable range"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 7: File Organization
+###############################################################################
+section "Code Organization: File Placement"
+
+echo "Checking for .js files in wrong locations..."
+JS_IN_WRONG_PLACE=$(find . -name "*.js" -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./docs/*" -not -path "./build/*" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$JS_IN_WRONG_PLACE" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found .js files outside allowed directories"
+    find . -name "*.js" -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./docs/*" -not -path "./build/*" 2>/dev/null
+else
+    success_msg "JavaScript files properly located"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 8: Build Verification
+###############################################################################
+section "Build: Code Compiles"
+
+echo "Testing Go build..."
+if go build -o /tmp/bookhoard-test ./cmd/server 2>&1 | tee /tmp/build.log; then
+    success_msg "Go build successful"
+    rm -f /tmp/bookhoard-test
+else
+    error_msg "Go build failed - check /tmp/build.log"
+    cat /tmp/build.log
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 9: Docker/Podman Files
+###############################################################################
+section "Containerization: Docker/Podman"
+
+echo "Checking for Dockerfile..."
+if [ -f "Dockerfile" ]; then
+    success_msg "Dockerfile found (build system uses containers)"
+else
+    error_msg "Dockerfile not found (required for builds)"
+fi
+
+echo "Checking for docker-compose.yml..."
+if [ -f "docker-compose.yml" ] || [ -f "docker-compose.yaml" ]; then
+    success_msg "docker-compose file found"
+else
+    error_msg "docker-compose.yml not found"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 10: Recent Commit Quality
+###############################################################################
+section "Git: Recent Commit Quality"
+
+echo "Checking for large commits (potential problems)..."
+if git rev-parse --git-dir > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    LARGE_COMMITS=$(git log --oneline -10 --pretty=format:"%h %s" | while read hash msg; do
+        FILES_CHANGED=$(git diff-tree --no-commit-id --name-only -r $hash | wc -l)
+        if [ "$FILES_CHANGED" -gt 10 ]; then
+            echo "$hash: $msg ($FILES_CHANGED files)"
+        fi
+    done | wc -l)
+    
+    if [ "$LARGE_COMMITS" -gt 0 ]; then
+        warning_msg "Found $LARGE_COMMITS recent commits changing >10 files each"
+    else
+        success_msg "Recent commits are well-scoped"
+    fi
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Check 11: Documentation Updates
+###############################################################################
+section "Documentation: README Updated"
+
+echo "Checking if docs/ directory exists..."
+if [ -d "docs" ]; then
+    success_msg "Documentation directory exists"
+else
+    warning_msg "No docs/ directory found"
+fi
+
+###############################################################################
+## Summary
+###############################################################################
+echo ""
+echo -e "${BLUE}=== Verification Summary ===${NC}"
+echo -e "${GREEN}PASSED: $PASSED${NC}"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}WARNINGS: $WARNINGS${NC}"
+echo -e "${RED}ERRORS: $ERRORS${NC}"
+echo ""
+
+if [ $ERRORS -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo -e "${RED}❌ GUIDELINE VERIFICATION FAILED${NC}"
+    echo "Please fix the errors above before committing."
+    exit 1
+elif [ $WARNINGS -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  VERIFICATION PASSED WITH WARNINGS${NC}"
+    echo "Review warnings above and consider addressing them."
+    exit 0
+else
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✅ ALL GUIDELINE CHECKS PASSED${NC}"
+    exit 0
+fi
diff --git a/scripts/verify-quick.sh b/scripts/verify-quick.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0d6de03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/verify-quick.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Quick verification script for immediate use
+set -e
+
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+BLUE='\033[0;34m'
+NC='\033[0m'
+
+ERRORS=0
+WARNINGS=0
+PASSED=0
+
+error_msg() { echo -e "${RED}✗ ERROR: $1${NC}"; ERRORS=$((ERRORS + 1)); }
+warning_msg() { echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠ WARNING: $1${NC}"; WARNINGS=$((WARNINGS + 1)); }
+success_msg() { echo -e "${GREEN}✓ PASS: $1${NC}"; PASSED=$((PASSED + 1)); }
+section() { echo ""; echo -e "${BLUE}--- $1 ---${NC}"; }
+
+echo -e "${BLUE}=== Quick Guidelines Check ===${NC}"
+
+section "1. Custom CSS Check"
+STYLE_COUNT=$(grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null | wc -l || echo 0)
+if [ "$STYLE_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $STYLE_COUNT templates with <style> tags"
+    grep -l '<style>' templates/*.templ 2>/dev/null | head -5
+else
+    success_msg "No <style> in templates"
+fi
+
+section "2. JavaScript Files Check"
+JS_COUNT=$(find . -name "*.js" -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./docs/*" -not -path "./.git/*" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$JS_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $JS_COUNT .js files"
+    find . -name "*.js" -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./docs/*" -not -path "./.git/*" 2>/dev/null | head -5
+else
+    success_msg "No .js files"
+fi
+
+section "3. Secrets Check"
+if [ -f ".env" ] || [ -f "credentials.json" ]; then
+    error_msg "Found .env or credentials.json in repo"
+else
+    success_msg "No secrets found"
+fi
+
+section "4. Build Check"
+echo "Building..."
+if go build -o /tmp/bookhoard-test ./cmd/server 2>/dev/null; then
+    success_msg "Code compiles"
+    rm -f /tmp/bookhoard-test
+else
+    error_msg "Build failed"
+fi
+
+section "5. Binary Check"
+BINARIES=$(find . -type f \( -name "bookhoard" -o -name "server" \) -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./.git/*" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$BINARIES" -gt 0 ]; then
+    error_msg "Found $BINARIES binary files"
+    find . -type f \( -name "bookhoard" -o -name "server" \) -not -path "./node_modules/*" -not -path "./.git/*" 2>/dev/null
+else
+    success_msg "No binaries"
+fi
+
+echo ""
+echo -e "${BLUE}=== Summary ===${NC}"
+echo -e "${GREEN}PASSED: $PASSED${NC}"
+echo -e "${YELLOW}WARNINGS: $WARNINGS${NC}"
+echo -e "${RED}ERRORS: $ERRORS${NC}"
+
+if [ $ERRORS -gt 0 ]; then
+    exit 1
+fi
+exit 0