Library and Information Science
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Item Use of Industrial Training for enhancing soft skills of undergraduate in Library and Information Science (LIS), University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka: Present status and future perspectives(02nd International Conference for Academic Discipline, 16th – 20th March 2020, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2020) Weerasooriya, W.A.Developing soft skills among students particularly the undergraduates has been a leading topic at university,-government and rnainly the corporate sector. It is observed that universities predominantly inculcate tG lfuowledge domain, while the tacit domains like Skills, Attitudes and Mindset for the undergraduates (KSAM domains/model developed by the UGC Sri Lanka 2012) are multiply available at the non-university sector mostly the corporate sectol' where the undergraduates are very easily able to grasp thlough internships/industrial training. The principal objective of this study is to explore the intemship mechanism developed for LIS undergraduates University of Kelaniya (UK), to examine new steps intioduced for the rnechinism, to investigate tlie results of intemship mechanism and to identity the new activities which can be conducted by the Depaltment of Library and Inforrnation Science (DLIS), University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. Method used was a mixed approach using internships mechanism, staff, undergraduates and trainer/participating Librarians responses, observation, experiences and the action research. There are around 50 recognized internships instifutions. They are libraries and infbnnation centers attached to various govemment and cotporate sector institutions. They are named as Accredited Teaching Libraries and Information Centers (ATLIC). MOUs were signed with UK and ATLIC on 30'r' August 2019 for tl,e further betterment of all stakeholders. Among them, the major category is universiiy libraries. Undergraduates in 2"d year are sent for internship fol two days in a week for three months and other three days they take part for lechres including two hour coaching session conducted by the Training Coordinator (TC) of DLIS. The TC at DLIS and the Training Supervisor/Trainer (TS) from training institutions are the main players of the internship mechanism. The Internship Record Book (IRB) and the Internship Feedback Report (IFR) submitted by intems are the main asslssment tools however the observations and feedback of both the TC and the TS are used for final evaluation. Both innovative and prescriptive parts are to be cornpiled by the intems through IFR. The coaching shows positive results more than mentoring in developing soft skills of undergraduates. Tlie major issues are the meager understanding and identity of ATLICs particularly the librarians and trainers towards this intemship process. From ATLICs side, lack of awareness of the significance of training future career leaders of the profession, non-appointment of TS in training libraries, insufficient knowledge and competencies on tmining intems and many trainers v/ere not very clear who is intem etc. were the main issues. Within this environment, it is much better the signed MOUs should be implernented soon. Between and among all stakeholders rnean Vice-Chancellors, Chairmen, Director Generals, Institutional Heads, CEOs including the Librarians, the TS of both government and cotporate sector have desirable shares on internship training. In addition to that the DLIS can pursue job-opportunities fi'orn ATLICs for LIS gradUates, request research topics and research areas from ATLICs, offer more training programs and awareness workshops for ATLIC, design and develop curicular for short tettn courses, irainirig programs, conduct workshops, seminats, organizejoint conferences and symposia. Frorn ATLIC side, they can work as resource persons as visiting lecturers, invited lectures, guest lectures, work as mentors, coaches for DLIS. ATLICs can develop their work and become real accredited institutions in future.Item Use of management role approach and the relevant competencies for developing the service of public libraries in Sri Lanka(Sri Lanka Library Association, 2014) Weerasooriya, W.A.Item Managing human resources in university libraries in Sri Lanka: appropriate styles and strategies(Sri Lanka Library Association, 2010) Weerasooriya, W.A.Item Continuous professional Development Programs for the university libraries in Sri Lanka(The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka and the Open University of Sri Lanka, 2010) Weerasooriya, W.A.Item The new organization culture: a path professionalism and a new paradigm shift for university libraries in Sri Lanka(University Librarians Association, Sri Lanka, 2010) Weerasooriya, W.A.Item Organizational and staff qualities and norms system for the University libraries of Sri Lanka(Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, 2010) Weerasooriya, W.A.Item Social Sciences in the Dewey Decimal Classification: a critique(Culture, Globalization and the Developing World, 2nd ICSS, 2013) Weerasooriya, W.A.; Satija, M.P.Knowledge is defined as justified belief produced by interaction of human beings with the environment. It constitutes the form and content of expressed facts, theories, memoirs, fiction, myths, beliefs, teachings, values and expressed feelings. Social science is a systematised body of knowledge gathered and produced as a result of interaction of man with the society or social environment in general. In fact its field is vast and touches all other disciplines namely (natural) sciences and humanities. Though society or social life of man on this earth is millions of years old yet as an academic discipline, science of society, it emerged only in the nineteenth century. Indeed it is one of the recent disciplines of study and research. Despite application of the scientific method, broadly formulated and advocated by Francis Bacon (1561-1626), as a science it is not as rigorous as the Natural Sciences. Human calculus is primitive and objectivity which is the bedrock of natural sciences is discounted while studying social beings in groups. Nevertheless, the results of social sciences are increasingly applicable to study, social phenomena and solve social and environmental problems. Paper discusses the origin of the Dewey decimal classification in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and estimates its quantitative use and states it to be still the most popular library classification in the world. It divides knowledge into the Baconian produce of three faculties of human mind, namely Memory, Imagination and Reasoning given by him in the book Advancement of learning (1605). Melvil Dewey (1851-1931), its inventor, first inverted Bacon?s the order and then elaborated them into ten main classes covering the entire universe of knowledge. Indeed his elaboration was constrained by the use of decimal notation which has only ten divisions at each step but was in tune with the academic departments in the US universities. Main class Social Sciences 300 has been ungainly placed between 200 Religion and 400 Languages, both of which fall in humanities. Nevertheless, its inclusion among the knowledge produced by Reason is tenable. Then the paper goes on to examine the position, order and inter and intra relation of contents of each of the ten divisions of social sciences as in the 23rd edition (2011) of the DDC: It criticizes that 320 Political Science has been separated from 350 Public Administration while 330 Economics seems oddly placed between 328 Parliaments and 340 Law. Authors also feel the separation of 900 History from 300 Social Sciences is indefensible. Concludes that the DDC is a cognitive mirror of the 19th century American Academic World, which does not reflect the current perceptions and order of knowledge.