Abstract:
Academic Libraries in the new millennium have undergone several changes as the consequences of
modern Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs). The Internet and related technologies
are among the most influential for the change. Weblogs or Blogs are one of the latest developments
in the Internet. Blogging has made a revolution in the dissemination of current information, which
is recognized as one of the major responsibilities and challenges of present day academic library.
Aims of this study were to explore the effectiveness of the available university library websites in
Sri Lanka in disseminating current information, to identify the deficiencies associated with them,
and to investigate the feasibilities of using weblogs for disseminating information in university
libraries in Sri Lanka.
Two data collection instruments were used for the study as follows. Data on library websites were
collected by means of observation. Researcher himself collected data by visiting websites/ web
pages of university libraries. Fifteen (15) university library websites/ web pages were accessed
for the study during August/ September 2009. The data on university library ICT facilities were
collected by using a questionnaire especially designed for the purpose. It was dispatched among
librarians in- charge of ICT, via e-mail.
The study revealed that, all the university libraries have their own websites/ web pages. However,
following were identified as the barriers faced by university libraries in disseminating current
information through library websites.
Technical problems associated with updating the website on a regular basis
Unfamiliarity on HTML and other web development applications of the library staff
Unavailability of qualified and dedicated staff to regularly update library websites
Finally, the study identified the feasibilities of creating weblogs for university libraries and the
study suggests that the blogging technology can be used effectively to disseminate information in
university libraries in Sri Lanka.
