A Study on the Usage of Electronic Information Services by University Library Users During the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

Abstract

The education sector in Sri Lanka experienced a significant setback due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. It is widely acknowledged that university students faced numerous challenges in their study and research activities from 2019 to 2021. One pressing issue was the utilization of information sources by students. Among these issues, a notable concern was whether the electronic information services available online were sufficient for the study and research needs of university students compared to the information accessible through physical university libraries. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether the information provided by the online electronic information services of the university library adequately supported the study and research activities of students, especially considering the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focused on the public university system in Sri Lanka, utilizing a cluster sampling method. University of Kelaniya was selected, and within the university, the Faculty of Commerce and Management, Faculty of Computer and Technology, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences, and Faculty of Science were chosen through stratified random sampling. A sample of 25 students was taken, with 5 students selected from each faculty. Data collection was conducted through a questionnaire method, and analysis was performed using software such as Google Studio and MS Excel. secondary data from other sources relevant to the research were also analyzed. Two methods were employed for the analysis: the data obtained through the questionnaire method was analyzed using both the descriptive and bivariate analysis methods. Quantitative data were collected in accordance with the research objectives. The data analysis conducted in this research led to the conclusion that the electronic information services provided by the university library during the COVID-19 epidemic were inadequate for the students’ study and research activities.