An assessment of academic librarians’ instructional performance in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this research paper is to look at the overall instructional performance of academic librarians in Sri Lanka and shed light on the challenges and potential problems facing the implementation of quality information literacy (IL) in university libraries. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, which was sent to all professional academic librarians working in Sri Lankan university libraries. The results were analyzed using frequency and percentage distributions. Findings – The results reveal that the organizational structures of academic libraries do not clearly acknowledge the academic librarians’ role in library instruction. Though most academic libraries had formal instruction policies, the majority had not appointed instruction coordinators. Academic librarians were not satisfied with the assessment of their teaching by library administrators, even though most of them had teaching experience. Most of the user education programs which they practiced were not up-to-date. Academic librarians’ interest and positive attitudes with regard to library instruction, particularly for IL was the other significant factor explored by the study. Research limitations/implications – The study focuses only on academic librarians. The exclusion of other university stakeholders such as teaching staff, students, administrators and others from the study poses a significant limitation. Originality/value – The results of this study can be generalized to academic libraries in Sri Lanka and to academic libraries in other developing countries.

User Education and its Present Status in University Libraries in Sri Lanka: An Overview

“…The majority of them, as disclosed by some studies (e.g. Jayatissa, 2008;Jayatissa, 2009;Mashroofa, 2009;Seneviratne, 2009;Ranaweera, 2010;Wickramanayake, 2014), are gradually moving from traditional user education methods to information literacy while some of them are still practising traditional methods even though they have understood the urgent need to implement information literacy initiatives in their institutions. Yet, unavailability of considerable previous publications including research reports creates obstacles to this task and discomfits the reviewing process.…”

“…However, since the major goal of this article is to review available literature on user education in Sri Lankan university libraries, the author collected some publications (e.g. Jayatissa, 2008;Jayatissa, 2009;Mashroofa, 2009;Seneviratne, 2009;Ranaweera, 2010;Wickramanayake, 2012;Wickramanayake, 2014) conducted on user education in the local context. This reviewing process aids these pieces of works to present the real picture of the country's current library instruction practices which is timely most important for the better understanding of librarians, policy makers and university administrators to design, develop and implement such programs in an effective manner.…”

“…Nonetheless, the above mentioned literature demonstrates that university libraries have encountered a variety of problems and issues with relation to present practices of user education. Among these, as Wickramanayake (2014) identified, around 50% university libraries do not take necessary efforts to fulfill library goals and objectives in relation to library instruction. As early as 1977, Fjällbrant (1977) and later on Downard (1992) explained that the library instruction programs in any library should include well defined goals and objectives which necessarily match with the general aims of the university library.…”

“…This situation still remains unchanged in most universities due to different factors. According to Wickramanayake (2014), most academic librarians had no better opportunities, facilitates and good working environment in their universities and academic libraries for the implementation of information literacy. Actually, though most academic librarians needed to implement information literacy programs for their universities, they suffered from lack of physical and human resources and training.…”

“…One, in this regard, can question whether our academic librarians are trained and skillful professionals to carry on these types of multifaceted concepts successfully without having required professional training in teaching methods and information literacy. As Wickramanayake (2014) identified, majority of university librarians in the country have acquired teaching performance, but not training on information literacy teaching. However taking teaching performance of academic librarians as an advantage, the university authorities can train them in information literacy by making a little effort.…”