Saturday, December 18, 1993

The Inter-Institutional Consortium (I-IC) Processing Center, 1981-1991: A Performance Audit

Researcher: PERLA TORRES GARCIA

Course: Master of Library Science

School: University of the Philippines

Subject Area: Academic Libraries, Resource Sharing

Year of Graduation: 1993

Statement of the Problem
The efficiency and effectiveness of the Inter-Institutional Consortium (I-IC) Processing Center were studied in its ten years of operation (1981-1991), in terms of the implementing processes and products within the context and input components. The I-IC Processing Center is a cooperative, centralized cataloging project of libraries of five institutions of learning, namely: 1) De La Salle University; 2) Philippine Christian University; 3) Philippine Normal University; 4) St. Paul College, Manila; and 5) St. Scholastica’s College.

Methodology
Analysis of extant documents and the descriptive survey method were used to gather data. The efficiency of the Center was determined by comparing the completion of cataloging output with the required monthly output of five hundred book titles. The physical flow of the processing and the specific cataloging procedures were described and illustrated in flowcharts. The effectiveness of the Center was measured according to the extent of use of the union catalog and cataloging tools by the cataloging staff of the member libraries.

Findings
1. The Center was found inefficient in the delivery of its cataloging service as indicated by the slow turnaround time of books processed. It was able to process on the average 149.91 titles a month against the target of 500 titles a month.

2. The highest cataloging support was given to PCU Library.

3. The Center was found ineffective in performing its cataloging function as reflected by great number of quality catalog records produced. Only 10 percent of the records was found to be incomplete and 15.9 percent was found inconsistent.

4. The budget performance of the Center showed its incapacity to sustain itself in its cataloging function. A total deficit of P13,275.32 was accumulated by the end of the tenth year of operation of the Center.

5. Despite availability of the union catalog either in card format and computerized format, access to and use of it by the cataloging staff of the consortium was not fully maximized.

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