It was presented at the 9th National Conference on Library & Information Scienece (NACLIS) 2012 on the theme of Empowering Users, Libraries & librarians in the Knowledge Society , organized by SLLA , held on 21 June 2012

1. 9th National Conference on Library & Information Science (NACLIS) 2012
“Empowering Users, Libraries & librarians in the Knowledge Society”
21st June 2012, Organized by SLLA
AN INFORMATION AUDIT AT THE MAIN LIBRARY,
EASTERN UNIVERSITY, SRI LANKA
By:
M. N. Ravikumar,
Senior Assistant Librarian (E-Resources & Services),
Main Library, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
T. Ramanan,
Senior Assistant Librarian (Technical & Clients Services),
Main Library, Eastern University, Sri Lanka.

2. 1. INTRODUCTION
 The role of libraries in Universities is to provide information resources and
services to support academic programmes, research and development.
 Library Collection should be managed as per the quality standards, and be
continuously evaluated to guarantee the excellence in library services to
its user-community.
 In this case, Information Audit can be used to evaluate the collection
quality and user perception.
21-Jun-2012 2NACLIS 2012

3. 1.1 Information Audit – What?
 “ A systematic evaluation of information use, resources and flows, with a
verification by reference to both people and existing documents in order to
establish the extent to which they are contributing to an organization’s
objectives” - Association for Information Management in the UK
 This is most appropriate definition as it incorporates the critical elements of
'information use' and 'people‘.
21-Jun-2012 3NACLIS 2012

4. 1.1 Information Audit – Why?
 IA identifies;
 Information that is needed to optimize the achievement of
institutional objectives
 As to for whom it is needed ?
 How it will be used ?
 Its sources?
 How it flows through the library?
21-Jun-2012 4NACLIS 2012

5. 1.1 Information Audit – Why?
IA is a management tool which can help an organization to begin:
to understand how its information assets are being put to use
how these can be more effectively harnessed to achieve optimum
productivity and strategic advantage
21-Jun-2012 5NACLIS 2012

6. 1.1 Information Audit – How?
There is no universally accepted model for IA –
dramatically varying structures, natures and
circumstances of the organizations
The ‘Seven stage information audit model’ was
selected for this study.
Developed by Susan Henczel (2001)
Seven stage information audit model21-Jun-2012 6NACLIS 2012

7. 1.2 Objectives
 Primary objective of the study is to build and maintain a library collection to
support curriculum, study, teaching, and research needs of students and
faculties.
 Specific objectives of the study:
To identify the quality of resources and services rendered by the library,
To find out the deficiencies of existing collection development practice,
To learn the user perspectives on current library services and collection,
To map information flows within the library, and
To find out inefficiencies that enables the identification of where changes
are necessary
21-Jun-2012 7NACLIS 2012

8. 2. METHODOLOGY
The study executed survey methodology that utilized both quantitative and
qualitative methods
The study population - entire user community of the EUSL library, including:
• Faculty representatives (academics), and
• Undergraduates (3rd year and 4th year)
 Research Instruments :
• Questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions
• Focus group interviews – qualitative data
 Sample Section - 20% of the total population of each user groups was
taken as into sample
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9. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Library Collections:
 Presently it includes 84,930 titles of Text Books and subscribed to 76
scholarly journals (print)
 In addition, it holds undergraduates’ dissertations, reports and CD ROM
collection
 Currently does not subscribe to any electronic journals or databases, it
receives online databases through INASP (PERII programme)
 It is found that the collection has never been subject to weeding, thus the
accommodation of new materials is becoming a major challenge due to
the restricted physical space in the library.
21-Jun-2012 9NACLIS 2012

10. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Purpose of Using the Library:
 Majority of the respondents use the library
1. To borrow books
2. To read books
3. To obtain reference information
 Most of the academic staff are prefer to read the books in their own places
 Purpose of using the library to read journals is comparatively low
21-Jun-2012 10NACLIS 2012

11. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Utilization of Information Sources:
 Text books, theses/ dissertations, reports and past-paper collections were
the main resources used by the majority of users.
 Lack of interest in and awareness of library collection is the reason for low
level of usage
 Students does not have much awareness about exploiting journals either
print or electronic for their referencing
21-Jun-2012 11NACLIS 2012

12. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Adequacy of Information resources:
 Text books, dissertations, reports and past-paper collections were rated as
adequate
 While online databases, CD ROMs and print journals/magazines were
identified as inadequate
 Due to the lack of funds, presently the library does not make subscription to
any electronic journal or databases
21-Jun-2012 12NACLIS 2012

13. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Assessment of Information Services:
 Except internet and photo copying facilities, others are rated as ‘good’
 At presently library has only two workstations for OPAC/ internet use and
only one photocopy machine for photocopy service are the reason for
dissatisfaction.
21-Jun-2012 13NACLIS 2012

14. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Currency :
 From the library’s perspective, out-dated materials are unnecessarily
occupy the space, as a result of which new resources are hard to be
housed.
 Weeding practice that has not been implemented in the past due to the
administrative barriers and audit pressure
21-Jun-2012 14NACLIS 2012

15. 3. AUDIT EXPLORATION
Information Flow Map :
It shows how the library gains
information and how the
information is disseminated
by the library to its users
through various information
services
21-Jun-2012 15NACLIS 2012

16. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS
 Since the users mainly depends on few library resources and services,
library needs to provide proper awareness about the other resources
specially the use of electronic resources – creating awareness
 Library management needs to pay more attention on subscribing electronic
journals and databases – emphasis on electronic resources
 Properly develop the CD ROMs collection and make this resource available
to users for lending purpose – availing new information media
 Developing e-repositories on past-papers and thesis collections will be
benefited to the user community – e-Repository/ Digital Library services
 Provide more workstations with internet connection to users and guide
them to use the library OPAC – more terminals to search
 Library should improve the photocopy service by adding more machines at
photocopy counter – improving on reprographic services
21-Jun-2012 16NACLIS 2012

17. References:
Australian Libraries Gateway. (2012). Guidelines for the preparation of a
collection development policy. Retrieved from
http://www.nla.gov.au/libraries/resource/ acliscdp.html.
Booth, A. & Haines, M. (1993) Information audit: Whose line is it any way?.
Health Libraries Review, 10, 224-232. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
Botha, H & Boon, J.A. (2003) The information audit: Principles and
guidelines. Libri, 53, 23-38. Retrieved from
http://librijournal.org/pdf/2003-1pp23-38.pdf
Buchanan, S. & Gibb, F. (2008). The information audit: methodology
selection. International Journal of Information Management, 28(1), 3-
11, Retrieved from http:// www. sciencedirect.com.
Henzel, S. (2001). The Information Audit: a Practical Guide. Chippenham
Esiltshire: Antany Rone.
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18. References:
Moghaddam, G. G. & Talawar, V.G. (2009) Library consortia in developing
countries: An overview Program: Electronic Library and Information
Systems, 43(1), 94-104. Retrieved from
www.emeraldinsight.com/0033-0337.htm
Orna, E.(1999). Practical Information Policies. Aldershot: Gower.
Ranasinghe, R.H.I.S. (1997). The possibilities of resource sharing among
university libraries in Sri Lanka. Colombo: S. Godage and Brothers.
Swash, G.D. (1997). The Information Audit. Journal of Managerial
Psychology, 12(5), 312-318. doi: 10.1108/02683949710183504
Walke, R. & Wadhwa, N. K. (2010). Collection Development in National
Physical Laboratory Library: A Case Study. In ETTLIS 2nd
International Symposium 2010, Emerging Technologies and Changing
Dimensions of Libraries and Information Services. New Delhi: KBD
Publication, pp. 709 – 714
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