It was based on a survey done amongst the university libraries in Sri Lanka, to explore the extent to which FOSS tools are being utilized to enhance the library service quality and management, in general.

1. Senior Assistant Librarians
Eastern University of Sri Lanka

2. INTRODUCTION
 University Libraries in Sri Lanka (coming
under the governance of the UGC)
 Universities - 15
 Postgraduate Institutions - 09
 Higher Educational Institutions - 07
 Current issues
 Inadequate funds
 Ever-rising costs
 Increasing user demands & Info. Explosion
 Insufficient infrastructure facilities

3. Introduction... Jaffna Univ.
Sri Lanka map with the
locations of the universities Vavuniya Campus (JU)
Geographical facts Trincomalee
Campus (EU)
• The country is from Rajarata Univ.
north to south 435 kms
and from east to west
Eastern
225 Kms. University
• 65,610 sq Km.
Wayamba Uni.
University of
Peradeniya
Univ. of Kelaniya
University of Colombo
University of S’J’ Pura
University of Moratuwa
Open Uni. Of SRL
Uni. Of Visual & Performance Arts
SE Univ.
Sabaragamuwa University
Uva Wellassa Univ.
Ruhuna Univ.

4. INTRODUCTION
 Library Resources
 Money (Govt./ Pvt./ etc.)
 Library Collection (Monographs, Journals/DBs, etc.)
 Staff Expertise (HR Profile of libraries)
 Space/ Building
 ICT Facilities
 Library Services
 Library Automation
 Digital Library Services
 Exploitation of OSS
 Resource-sharing and OSS

5. Objectives of the Study
 To explore the
 level of library automation,
 electronic & digital library services,
 extent of usage of OSS in LIS, and
 potentiality of developing & sustaining a consortial
arrangement for resource-sharing among university
libraries in Sri Lanka
Methodology
 As the study type is descriptive, the methodology
used was survey research – questionnaires,
interviews, and secondary information sources

6. Automation of Univ. Libraries in Sri Lanka
 Proprietary and open-source software – most of the
libraries are automated
 Purpose – modernization of services and to have
greater access to info. resources
 LibSys – widely used commercial software (followed by
Alice for Windows)
 Koha, NewGenLib, and OpenBiblio - well-renowned
OSS -are distributed under GNU General Public
License.
 OSS – WINISIS (lost popularity), KOHA (getting
popular), NGL (being tried)

7. Automation of Univ. Libraries….
 OSSs cover housekeeping operations, dual database
design, web-based interfaces, and institutional
repositories (Ravi, 2010).
 Financial challenges – commercial systems – license
renewal, post-sale services, etc.
 Data-sharing and resource-sharing – requires
uniformity in system communication
 Possibilities to widen consortial services throughout
the country

8. Automation of Univ. Libraries….
 Utilization of Win ISIS, CDS/ISIS was very low
 Since 2000 - installation of commercial software –
 Alice for Windows – Univ. of Peradeniya, Univ. of Colombo, Univ. of
Sri J’pura & Open Univ.
 University of Kelaniya used Libsuite.
 Univ. of Moratuwa commenced with LibSys, followed by Univs. of
Jaffna, Eastern, Kelaniya, Sabaragamuwa, & Open Univ.
 Later followed by successful installations of Koha (OSS) in
Univ. of Ruhuna, South-Eastern Univ., & Rajarata Univ.
 NewGenLib (NGL) another successful OS-ILS is getting
popular – Eastern University has attempted to exploit it to its
branch libraries.

9. Digital Library Initiatives
 Need and demand compels the implementation of
digital library services
 78% of the surveyed libraries have DLS
 Solely created by using OSS – Greenstone & D-Space
(been tried and successful at many univ. libraries)
 Digitizing past-papers, thesis abstracts, & preservation
objectives (e.g. Palm leaf manuscripts)
33%
D-Space
67% Greenstone
Figure : Softwares used to Create DLS

10. WebPages and OSS
 Of the total university libraries surveyed, 45% of them
have their WebPages created using Joomla - an open-
source solution that is freely available to everyone.
Advantage of using a CMS is that it requires almost no
technical skill or knowledge to manage (joomla.org/).
 Other s/w – FrontPage, Dreamweaver.
Dreamweaver
22% 33%
Joomla
45% HTML/ CSS
Editor
Figure : Softwares used to Create Websites

11. Challenges and Issues
 No library is self-sufficient in its perpetuation
 Sustainability of service standards is always a crucial
question
 Insufficient Budgetary Allocations
 Technical Issues Associated with ILS - Unicode support
– interactive search - fails (Tamil, Sinhala and Arabic
materials), OS compatibility
 The survey results show that lack of ICT facilities
(67%), power failures (56%) and inferior staff capacity
(34%) - noteworthy factors that hinder the seamless
information services.

12. Challenges and Issues…
 Ceylon Linux (2012) stated in its email, procuring
proprietary software involves not only cost but also does
it give little or no room for knowledge development in IT
personnel.
 On the other hand, as the above source
continues, exploiting open-source software is cost-
effective and paving ways for the professionals to learn
and develop IT-based knowledge.
 “Open Source has been hailed as a solution to the
economic problems but there are still organizational
problems to be surmounted” (Hopkinson, 2009).
 Requirement/ development of IT skills of library
professionals – both advantage & disadvantage.

13. Consortium in Sri Lanka
 Cooperative arrangements mitigate the issues associated
with scarce resources – absence of well-established
consortium in SL – presents issues with RS
 However, consortial acquisition -INASP/ PERii and
SIDA/ SAREC Library Support Programs
 Challenges to work in cooperation - attitudinal
barriers, administrational rigidity, and fear of losing
authority
 Possibilities for transfer of technology expertise
 Creating common institutional repository hubs – digital
archiving – space & cost management

14. Consortium…
 “A library consortium is a group of libraries that share
common goals.
Library consortia can speak with one voice to policy
makers and funders – to advocate for libraries - and can
share resources and activities – to build capacity and
expand access for users”. -
Courtesy: http://www.eifl.net/news/three-consortia-celebrate-10
 Role of OSS in consortium setup – saving monies &
time, sharing expertise & technology, seamless/ greater
access to information resources, and conservation of
national heritage

15. Conclusion
 The study aimed at exploring the magnitude of
benefits gained through library automation using
different systems – both proprietary and FOSS.
 Need for automation – inevitable – demand + limited
resources
 Automation – involves challenges (finance –
rationalization of spending, ICT facilities, expertise
and attitude, power, etc.)
 Striving to sustain service qualities with available
information resources & services

16. Conclusion…
 Open-source software has given rise to the benefits
gained from automation and digital library services – in
SL – (financial obstacles – managed)
 Automation, DL services, and webpages are utilizing OSS
– flexibility in OS platforms
 Continuous education and training opportunities –
library HRD, esp. in ICT realms
 Paves avenues to have greater access to resources and to
establish a well-structured consortium among university
libraries in Sri Lanka
 Close interaction with libraries in the SAARC / Asia-
Pacific region – ultimately, the Global liaison

17. THANK YOU