User perception of Electronic Services (E-Services) in university libraries Sri Lanka

Abstract

Electronic services in university libraries refer to the digital and E-resources, tools, and services provided by the library to support teaching, learning, research, and information access in an online environment. These services aim to enhance access to information, facilitate efficient research processes, and provide a seamless user experience for users. This study explores user perceptions of E-services in university libraries, assesses their satisfaction levels with various information services, examines difficulties faced during utilization, and intends to offer recommendations for enhancing E-service provision in researched universities. These recommendations will focus on enhancing service quality, improving accessibility, and implementing new initiatives to serve the information needs of users. The survey research method was employed, involving the division of the population into two distinct groups. The first group comprised 500 individuals chosen randomly from frequent visitors to the main libraries, while the second group consisted of 192 permanent library staff members selected through random sampling. Data was gathered through the utilization of questionnaires, observations, and interviews. Five universities were selected to represent the Western Province in this research study. The data gathered from two separate questionnaires were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0, and the results were presented as percentage values. It was observed that there is a lack of adequate infrastructure for E-services in the university libraries. Users are motivated to seek information through both traditional (0.7%), electronic (33.0%) and (66.3%) for both methods. The findings indicate that a majority of respondents utilize E-services for accessing E-books (76.0%), E-journals (37.7%), and E-past papers (54.8%), while a smaller proportion makes use of online databases (19.1%) and accesses E-tutorials. Insufficient funding for universities to sustain E-services and E-resources in the long run, frequent power outages, limited proficiency in the English language, and a lack of knowledge and research evidence have highlighted the necessity for implementing reader education programs tailored to meet the specific needs of users. Based on these findings, several recommendations are proposed. Firstly, it is crucial to ensure regular updates to the library website to keep it current and user-friendly. Furthermore, expanding the spectrum of E-resources and implementing innovative E-services are vital steps in meeting user expectations within university libraries.