Paper Presented during International Conference on What’s next in libraries? Trends, Space, and partnerships held during January 21-23, 2015 at NIT Silchar, Assam. It is being jointly organized by NIT Silchar, in association with its USA partner the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

1. Automating of Public Libraries in
Batticaloa District Using Koha Open-Source
Software: Recording an Experience
M. N. Ravikumar,
Senior Assistant Librarian
(e-Resources & Periodicals),
Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
ravimnr@mail.com
T. Ramanan,
Senior Assistant Librarian
(Technical & Acquisition Section),
Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
ramanan_6@yahoo.com

2. Introduction
Public libraries perhaps serve as first place to provide
information to any person who is at the beginning of
learning, especially in sub-urban and rural areas.
Until it was liberated from the effects of war in the area in
2009, public libraries in Batticaloa District (Eastern part of
Sri Lanka) did not generally have avenues to develop their
collections and services.
Public libraries in Batticaloa are unfortunate in their
resources & services

3. Introduction
Now with new ‘look’ in the zone:
- construction of roads and new buildings, public libraries
- Inaccessible resources have become readily available
An inevitable social responsibility of public libraries to play
in enhancing literacy level of local communities
Public libraries in Batticaloa need to upgrade their
functions and services by establishing integrated systems
due to the ever growing user demands and collections

4. Public Libraries in Batticaloa District
Public libraries in Sri Lanka are given grades based on their
strength of resources and services
Except the Public Library in Batticaloa Town, which is
Grade I, rest of the public libraries are categorized at
Grade III, although two of them have applied for Grade II
These libraries are falling under the authority of municipal,
urban and town councils – both beneficial and
disadvantageous (funds and authority)

5. Major Challenges
Endangered budgetary allocation
Poor recruitment policy for librarians
Lack of computer terminals
Not equipped with Local Area Network (LAN)
Lack of staff competency with respect to ILS
Libraries located in remote areas – inaccessible for public
Libraries in rural areas – used for other purposes (e.g. Goat
shed)

6. Usage of Open-source ILS in PLs
Since public libraries rely on public fund, they turn to using
OSS for automating their operations; hence, open-source
ILS is beginning to have a long term consequence on
libraries and their existence.
Public libraries encounter drastic shortage of financial
resource, thus, free and open product is more realistic and
convenient.

7. Why Koha ?
Koha is the most functionality advanced OSS on the market
and it became more sophisticated ILS for all kind of
libraries by the integration of powerful Zebra indexing
engine
it has been tested for its stability and scalability, and is
used in many libraries around the globe
In Sri Lanka, most of the universities are initiated to use
Koha ILS to automate their library functions
Koha has some added features that suit more for public
library environment, such as parent–child relationship for
patron records and ‘copy’ patron feature to quickly add
families.

8. Why Koha ?.....contd.
Koha is best suited by providing user-friendly web-based
interfaces
Most importantly, Koha does not rely on the success and
resources of a single vendor, hence life-long support is
guaranteed by many contributors worldwide
Unlike software based on WINISIS, Koha has “attraction”
amongst its users

9. Initiatives to Implement Koha in PLs
Public libraries with minimum technological advantages are
gradually introduced with using Koha as their Library
Management System
Koha ILS is configured and customized to suit for the public
library environment
Initiated to provide pre- and post-support to implement
Koha ILS

10. Conclusion
Only a few public libraries in the district have optimum
level of technological advantage
Considering shortage of resources PLs are gradually
installed with open source Koha ILS to automate their
services
Koha ILS successfully installed in Two Public Libraries and
taking initiatives to expand its exploitation across the
district.

11. References:
Abraham, J. (1996) Computers in modernizing library information system and
services: perspectives of library automation, International Library Movement,
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public librarians in North-Western Provincein Sri Lanka: with Special Reference to
Kurunegala, ETTLIS Proceedings 2010 (pp. 94 – 96), Simla, India.
Govardhan, A. and Shivashankar, G. (2013) Koha and E- Granthalaya: A
Comparative Study, International Conference Proceedings on Open access –
Scholarly communication Reincarnated: A Futuristic Approach (pp. 218-226),
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Science (p. 19), New York: Marcel Dekkar,

12. References:
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13. Thank you