Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/22276
Browse
23 results
Search Results
Item Adoption of electronic books in a higher education setting: an exploratory case study based on Diffusion of Innovation and Garner’s Hype Cycle paradigms(Annals of Library and Information Studies, 2021) Jayasundara, C.C.The purpose of this research was to examine the status of library users' adoption of e-books in line with Rogers's Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and Gartner’s Hype Cycle (GHC) Model in the context of Fiji National University (FNU). The FNU Library introduced e-books to its user community in 2014. Purposively chosen 40 undergraduate students from the College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies were selected as the sample to conduct in-depth interviews. The study revealed that the participants' e-book adoption habits were primarily divided among early adopters, early majority, and late majority. The results disclosed many factors that influence the adoption of e-books, such as familiarity with the technology, personal taste, exposure to trial access, use of preferred access devices and enthusiasm for reading. Findings indicate that e-books adoption of university undergraduates in line with the DOI and GHC paradigms has substantiated how the underpinning theories could help interpret the adoption of e-books in teaching and learning environment. Thus, this research will help librarians and educators develop a robust mechanism for better understanding the inherent status-quo of e-book usage in higher education institutions. These research findings will also help develop strategies that can significantly enhance universities' traditional teaching and learning performance with emerging technologies.Item How a “fine regime” of an unacceptable user behaviour policy affects library use: nudging or shoving?(Journal of Access Services, 2021) Jayasundara, C.C.A discussion of long-term thefts in the library suggested creating a highly punitive policy that captures the dynamics of the context through a holistic approach. The study inquired about how the penalty regime affects the attitudes of students and library staff toward fines. Data was collected through in-depth interviews to reveal three groups' attitudes: offenders, principled users, and staff. Twenty staff were interviewed, and forty of the students interviewed were registered users, 20 of whom had previously been fined for attempting to steal books, while the rest had no record of policy violations. The findings show that 30% of students were aware of the existence of the written policy only after being punished, which indicates that they were not given proper library orientation at the outset. The paper discusses how heavy fines and banishment from the library impacted attitudes toward the services offered in the building. Feedback from participants can be part of an early warning system used to maintain a high-level of service quality minimizing security issues.Item Study on Webometric Ranks of Sri Lankan State Universities(IEEE Potentials, 2014) Edirimanna, C; Jayasundara, C.C.Globalization has made a remarkable impact on the university education system, and the Internet has become the core resource for universities to make their facilities and opportunities available globally. University Web sites are increasingly used for a wide variety of purposes. The evaluation of universities based on their Web performance was introduced by Cybermetrics Lab as the "Webometric Ranking of World Universities" (WRWU), and this ranking system has become a popular way of measuring university excellence.Item Communication and Employee Relations in the University Libraries of Sri Lanka: Perception of Staff Members(The Journal of Library and Information Management, 2011) Jayasundara, C.C.Communication is a medium used by people to interact and relate with each other. The purpose of this paper is to identify the management styles in relation to communication and employee relations, barriers to open communication and the factors that impede effective employee relations in Sri Lankan university libraries. The research study was based on two universities in the Colombo area. The sample data was collected by interviewing eight para-professionals and four minor staff members from each university library. The study found that the autocratic management styles of the majority of the management in both libraries adversely affected the morale of the employees when performing their duty in the library. The study further revealed that conflict situations between management and employees are common in both universities. Finally, the respondents stated that both libraries predominantly use interpersonal or informal communication methods to transmit messages to the employees in comparison to formal and technological methods.Item Sexual health information seeking behaviour of adolescents and their satisfaction with the information outcome: An application of the theory of motivated information management(Elsevier The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2021) Jayasundara, C.C.This study investigates how the Theory of Motivated Information Management influences adolescents' sexual information-seeking behaviour and their satisfaction with the information they find. A cross-sectional investigation that purposively selected and surveyed 128 adolescents in the Matara District of Sri Lanka using a semi-structured questionnaire was designed. The variables such as high-risk sexual behaviour, having a partner or not, sexual curiosity, computer self-rated proficiency, sex of the adolescents, self-rated English proficiency, Uncertainty Discrepancy anxiety and self-efficacy were used to inquire about the contributing effects on adolescents' sexual health information seeking behaviour. The findings reveal that the most important sexual health information for adolescents is the information related to “high-risk sexual behaviour” and “sexual curiosity”. Boys are more likely to engage with sexual health information in a positive way than girls. The results further validate the TMIM framework. The orientation of associations between model variables has been consistent with past studies, particularly the negative relationship between anxiety and efficacy. Adolescents expressed difficulties in obtaining health information, including difficulty determining the quality of information and the lack of appropriate health information, highlighting the need for effective measures in this area. To overcome these barriers, the Ministries of Health and Education, the National Library, the Academic Library System and particularly medical/health libraries in universities, and the National Youth Services Council should plan easily accessible, outcome measurable, and appropriate opportunities and training through their official centres and institutions.Item Business Domains for Boosting Customer Satisfaction in Academic Libraries(The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2015) Jayasundara, C.C.University library administrators in Sri Lanka, realising the necessity of complying with customer perception of high quality service, have begun to search for alternative ways to satisfy their clientele on the basis of service quality. This study therefore aims to meet this need by identifying business domains in the university library setting to assess the extent to which service quality domains may be used to predict customer satisfaction, from a service quality perspective. Domain identification of service quality was carried out with a sample of 262 subjects. Accordingly, seven domains–affect of service personnel, building environment, collection and access, furniture and facilities, technology, service delivery and web services–were statistically tested to be confirmed as potential business domains of service quality. Whilst not detracting from preceding research studies conducted in the field, this study has demonstrated significant implications for researchers and library administrators in understanding the importance of individual business domains within the specific service spectrum of university libraries, in order to provide ultimate satisfaction for customers with a quality library service.Item Drivers of customer satisfaction in libraries: a case study of the FNU Libraries(2013) Jayasundara, C.C.Although the provision of facilities and staffing at Fiji National University (FNU) Libraries appear to be adequate, there seems to be less emphasis on quality service delivery in the customers’ eyes. This study therefore aimed to establish service quality determinants, which may have good relationship with customer satisfaction in FNU libraries. Invention of quality determinants were derived upon a comprehensive methodology consisting of three methods. First, 68 determinants were generated through the existing literature, and then these determinants were reviewed by focus groups and 39 determinants were identified as applicable determinants in FNU libraries. In addition to that 7 determinants were found by focus group discussions which are very specific to the FNU and which cannot be found from the prevailing literature. The focus groups were used as the key method for selecting the appropriate determinants. Finally, the content and face validity of these determinants were evaluated by a panel of experts to identify the most appropriate determinants and produced 37 determinants in the FNU library system. This study provides a useful device as a reference tool for library professionals and policy makers to gauge the levels of overall user satisfaction and setting up a quality assurance scheme in Fijian university libraries.Item Promotional avenues for university librarians in Sri Lanka(Annals of Library and Information Studies, 2011) Jayasundara, C.C.The paper identifies the existing promotional avenues for university librarians in Sri Lanka, the basic requirements needed for these avenues, the obstacles and obstacle mitigating strategies. The research design of the study comprised of three steps, viz., literature analysis, survey based on telephonic interviews, and finally, the opinion modeling. It was found that the major problems that hinder career advancement prospects among librarians are a combination of professional duties with research and publication requirements, inadequate opportunities to reach the rank of librarian and lack of higher educational qualification requirements.Item Digital Libraries as A Tool to Confront The Digital Divide(Library Progress (International), 2016) Jayasundara, C.C.Purpose: This paper discusses how digital divide has affected the access of quality information of the citizens and how digital libraries contribute to bridge the digital divide. The article also aims to focus on several issues related to digital divide and digital libraries that pertain to the function of service provision of a traditional library. Methodology: Literature review and observations Findings: It provides some thoughts to readers to rethink of the revolutionisation of Open Access initiatives (OA), Open Educational Resources (OER) and Scholarly Communication Productions (SCP) for the benefit of their wider user community focusing specifically on underprivileged groups, who cannot easily access to quality information due to any financial, infrastructural, socio-economic dynamics. It also highlights the recent developments in OER in Fiji and the country’s effort to draft a national policy on OER to provide directions in the use of open educational resources to increase access to and support quality learning and teaching in Fiji’s education and training system.Item Factors contribute to the usage of library electronic information resources (EIR) by university students in Sri Lanka(A.Noorhidawati, et al. {Eds.): ICOL/S 2014, Kuala Lumpur: DLIS, FCSIT, 2014) Alahakoon, C. N. K.; Jayasundara, C.C.The efficacy of student use of university library e-sources relies on computer experience, JCT selfefficacy, library support, Information Communication Technology (JCT) training, obstacles in EIR use, /CT stress, training needs, infrastructure and usage of e-journals. The present study investigates the possibility of employing the Classification and Regression Tree analysis (CART) to explore the present status of the EIR usage and to find out the factors that affect use of EIR in Sri Lankan university libraries. The objectives were to identify universities according to the levels of usage of library EIR, identify the factors of EIR use in the university libraries and possibility of predicting the status of EIR usage of libraries based on CART. The piloted, validated and structured questionnaire was administered to 840 undergraduates. The CART was developed to model the EIR usage patterns and to identify the factors of the EIR usage. Based on the variable importance of CART, JCT obstacles and training requirement were recognized as most important factors. The CART indicated that 42.5% essentially need training to improve the searching level of EIR and 56. 7% had no proper training in EIR and become ineffective users. These findings suggest the university libraries must prioritized the improvement of JCT facilities and identify the new JCT trends in libraries.
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »