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Item Critical examination of sidathsangarawa through secondary sources(The Library, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2023) Divakara, Anurin Indika; Jayasundara, C.C.It is possible to observe the emergence of various language forms in response to contemporary social communication needs. The process of standardizing one form of language practice can be discerned through an examination of the social history of the language. Although it cannot be explicitly stated, it is evident that there was a diffusion of 'Siyabasa' intertwined with local mother tongues. This can be substantiated by analyzing the language usage in modern prose works, which indicates a trend toward the standardization of Tamil language usage. During a period when the Tad language form was considered a 'popular' expression and a societal norm, Sidatsangara stands out as a noteworthy instance in which the applied grammatical rules of the Sinhala language were influenced by the standardization of 'Jheka Pryoga' and 'Vyavaharashra.' This influence can be traced back to the poetic works originating from 'Siyabasa.' According to the content of relevant texts, such as the Sidathasagarava compiled by Pathiraja Piruwanpati Thero it offers insights into the scope of the grammar rules and special usages, drawing from secondary sources.Item Adoption of electronic books in a higher education setting: an exploratory case study based on Diffusion of Innovation and Garner’s Hype Cycle paradigms(Annals of Library and Information Studies, 2021) Jayasundara, C.C.The purpose of this research was to examine the status of library users' adoption of e-books in line with Rogers's Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and Gartner’s Hype Cycle (GHC) Model in the context of Fiji National University (FNU). The FNU Library introduced e-books to its user community in 2014. Purposively chosen 40 undergraduate students from the College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies were selected as the sample to conduct in-depth interviews. The study revealed that the participants' e-book adoption habits were primarily divided among early adopters, early majority, and late majority. The results disclosed many factors that influence the adoption of e-books, such as familiarity with the technology, personal taste, exposure to trial access, use of preferred access devices and enthusiasm for reading. Findings indicate that e-books adoption of university undergraduates in line with the DOI and GHC paradigms has substantiated how the underpinning theories could help interpret the adoption of e-books in teaching and learning environment. Thus, this research will help librarians and educators develop a robust mechanism for better understanding the inherent status-quo of e-book usage in higher education institutions. These research findings will also help develop strategies that can significantly enhance universities' traditional teaching and learning performance with emerging technologies.Item How a “fine regime” of an unacceptable user behaviour policy affects library use: nudging or shoving?(Journal of Access Services, 2021) Jayasundara, C.C.A discussion of long-term thefts in the library suggested creating a highly punitive policy that captures the dynamics of the context through a holistic approach. The study inquired about how the penalty regime affects the attitudes of students and library staff toward fines. Data was collected through in-depth interviews to reveal three groups' attitudes: offenders, principled users, and staff. Twenty staff were interviewed, and forty of the students interviewed were registered users, 20 of whom had previously been fined for attempting to steal books, while the rest had no record of policy violations. The findings show that 30% of students were aware of the existence of the written policy only after being punished, which indicates that they were not given proper library orientation at the outset. The paper discusses how heavy fines and banishment from the library impacted attitudes toward the services offered in the building. Feedback from participants can be part of an early warning system used to maintain a high-level of service quality minimizing security issues.Item Drivers of customer satisfaction in libraries: a case study of the FNU Libraries(2013) Jayasundara, C.C.Although the provision of facilities and staffing at Fiji National University (FNU) Libraries appear to be adequate, there seems to be less emphasis on quality service delivery in the customers’ eyes. This study therefore aimed to establish service quality determinants, which may have good relationship with customer satisfaction in FNU libraries. Invention of quality determinants were derived upon a comprehensive methodology consisting of three methods. First, 68 determinants were generated through the existing literature, and then these determinants were reviewed by focus groups and 39 determinants were identified as applicable determinants in FNU libraries. In addition to that 7 determinants were found by focus group discussions which are very specific to the FNU and which cannot be found from the prevailing literature. The focus groups were used as the key method for selecting the appropriate determinants. Finally, the content and face validity of these determinants were evaluated by a panel of experts to identify the most appropriate determinants and produced 37 determinants in the FNU library system. This study provides a useful device as a reference tool for library professionals and policy makers to gauge the levels of overall user satisfaction and setting up a quality assurance scheme in Fijian university libraries.Item Promotional avenues for university librarians in Sri Lanka(Annals of Library and Information Studies, 2011) Jayasundara, C.C.The paper identifies the existing promotional avenues for university librarians in Sri Lanka, the basic requirements needed for these avenues, the obstacles and obstacle mitigating strategies. The research design of the study comprised of three steps, viz., literature analysis, survey based on telephonic interviews, and finally, the opinion modeling. It was found that the major problems that hinder career advancement prospects among librarians are a combination of professional duties with research and publication requirements, inadequate opportunities to reach the rank of librarian and lack of higher educational qualification requirements.Item Digital Libraries as A Tool to Confront The Digital Divide(Library Progress (International), 2016) Jayasundara, C.C.Purpose: This paper discusses how digital divide has affected the access of quality information of the citizens and how digital libraries contribute to bridge the digital divide. The article also aims to focus on several issues related to digital divide and digital libraries that pertain to the function of service provision of a traditional library. Methodology: Literature review and observations Findings: It provides some thoughts to readers to rethink of the revolutionisation of Open Access initiatives (OA), Open Educational Resources (OER) and Scholarly Communication Productions (SCP) for the benefit of their wider user community focusing specifically on underprivileged groups, who cannot easily access to quality information due to any financial, infrastructural, socio-economic dynamics. It also highlights the recent developments in OER in Fiji and the country’s effort to draft a national policy on OER to provide directions in the use of open educational resources to increase access to and support quality learning and teaching in Fiji’s education and training system.Item Factors contribute to the usage of library electronic information resources (EIR) by university students in Sri Lanka(A.Noorhidawati, et al. {Eds.): ICOL/S 2014, Kuala Lumpur: DLIS, FCSIT, 2014) Alahakoon, C. N. K.; Jayasundara, C.C.The efficacy of student use of university library e-sources relies on computer experience, JCT selfefficacy, library support, Information Communication Technology (JCT) training, obstacles in EIR use, /CT stress, training needs, infrastructure and usage of e-journals. The present study investigates the possibility of employing the Classification and Regression Tree analysis (CART) to explore the present status of the EIR usage and to find out the factors that affect use of EIR in Sri Lankan university libraries. The objectives were to identify universities according to the levels of usage of library EIR, identify the factors of EIR use in the university libraries and possibility of predicting the status of EIR usage of libraries based on CART. The piloted, validated and structured questionnaire was administered to 840 undergraduates. The CART was developed to model the EIR usage patterns and to identify the factors of the EIR usage. Based on the variable importance of CART, JCT obstacles and training requirement were recognized as most important factors. The CART indicated that 42.5% essentially need training to improve the searching level of EIR and 56. 7% had no proper training in EIR and become ineffective users. These findings suggest the university libraries must prioritized the improvement of JCT facilities and identify the new JCT trends in libraries.Item TOWARDS AN ORGANIZATIONALLY SENSIBLE HR RISK ASSESSMENT IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A CASE OF A UNIVERSITY LIBRARY(Library Philosophy and Practice,University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 2020) Jayasundara, C.C.Employees can be a resource of sustained success and a competitive advantage in any orgnisation, reliant on skilled workforce. However, dearth of trained labour force to drive the manpower requirement of local industries has become a long lasting burden in some small counties. These countries do not have adequate professional advancement opportunities for librarians and support staff to become professionals or paraprofessionals due to lack of openings for specialist education in the field of librarianship. Thus, human resource risks in libraries of such countries are comparatively higher. It is therefore needed to identify and assess the severity and impact of HR risks to mitigate the future burdens with a set of carefully planned HR management practices, which can positively increase the risk resilience. Due to less professional educational opportunities, economic downturn and outflow of educated personnel in Fiji, employers have been unable to recruit and retain suitably qualified professionals and paraprofessionals specially for academic libraries. All universities have hired many librarians from foreign countries and some universities have employed untrained manpower for paraprofessional work. Consequently, this research also tried to identify HR threats and vulnerabilities related to the Department of Library services in the Fiji National University (FNU) with the objective of directing the opted library for a possible risk mitigation plan. The study used qualitative methods by exercising semi-structured interviews for a sample of 25 professionals and paraprofessionals in the library. The research identified HR risks, their prevailing circumstances, library operation and its relationship with these HR risks, and finally to address what could be improved. Nevertheless, the management of HR risk will be continuing and its connotation will be unique and richer because of the Library is a part of a larger autonomous venture. It is therefore found that HR risks are bound to overall management of the university to cause a profound and extensive impact.Item Enhancing Students’ Skills Through Technology (ESST) : a one-to-one computer solution at Fiji National University(Library Philosophy and Practice, 2014) Jayasundara, C.C.Fiji National University has come a long way from its time of inception in terms of information and communication technological resources and capabilities. Achievement of its primary responsibility of human capital development depends largely upon its teaching and learning resources. Research has confirmed that ICT has significant potential to assist students who are currently disadvantaged by gender, disability, ethnic and socio economic background. Total student population of the FNU comprises of 75% students who are basically from lower income families of which the annual income is lower than FJD 15,000/=. Therefore, majority of the students do not have their own computers and as a result, libraries and computer labs in the university are very competitive and fully occupied even at nights. Thus, FNU is compelled to use a model which explain how that potential can be developed and used to benefit students currently seen to be excluded from, underachieving in, or disaffected by university. As it is evident to develop the skills needed for 21st century, provision of ICT and enhanced information literacy skills through SDL are exclusively needed. FNU has already introduced information literacy as a mandatory course to all students of the university through its COM 501: Information and Communication Literacy. Thus the only gray area of the mission is the provision of ICT facilities to develop HOT skills of students through SDL. This paper discusses the potential models which can be used for implementing 1:1 computer provision in a university library setting.Item User expectation verses user perception of service quality in University libraries: a case study(Journal of the University Librarians’ Association of Sri Lanka, 2010) Somaratna, S. D.; N. Peiris, C.; Jayasundara, C.C.The library as one of the main service organizations in any University the assessment of service quality through user perspectives is very important. It provides a prompt feedback for libraries to assess and improve their services to users. The aim of this research was to measure the desired service expectations and actual service performance of the users of the University of Colombo Library System. As the initial step, 116 different service quality attributes were identified from previous studies done all around the world. Of these 35 attributes which are most appropriate to the Sri Lankan University Libraries were selected by an expert panel evaluation. The selected attributes were incorporated with the SERVQUAL model and a robust instrument was developed to ascertain the views of library users about service levels. This study was conducted during period of May -June 2008 as a user survey in the University of Colombo library system covering the main library and its two branch libraries, Science Faculty Library and the Medical Faculty Library. A total of 614 questionnaires were received indicating 74% overall response rate. Gap analysis was used to determine the service quality gap between desired service expectations and actual service performance. The most important area expected by users was relevance of information received followed by access to electronic journals and adequate lighting in reading areas. The highest performance area was accuracy of information received followed by feel safe and secure in the library and relevance of information received. Access to online journals showed the largest gap between user expectation and performances. The findings of this study give a good insight to improve user satisfaction providing a better service in identified areas.