Academic Libraries' External Environment and Environmental Scanning by Managers of Central Libraries of Islamic Azad Universities of Iran, Fahimeh Babalhavaeji, Mohammad Reza Farhadpoor

Academic libraries such as other libraries and information centers and organizations operate within the context of two environmentsinternal and external. Both of these environments are interconnected. Whilst, internal context of library consists organizational structure and functions and the way they are configured in pursuit of specified organizational objectives; each library operates in complex and changing external environments, which frequently produces new challenges which must be controlled to ensure the library’s future survival and success. Their impact is a two-way process. Changes in the external environment affect the organization’s internal environment, whilst decisions made at managerial level will impact upon both the external and internal environment (Bryson, 1990).