Abstract
The rapid development of information and communication technology (ICT), particularly internet, and the increasing development of user education forms and methods, such as new information literacy initiatives have resulted in significant changes in academic libraries. With these unprecedented changes, academic librarians in Sri Lanka have to deal with instructional processes more effectively and efficiently. The primary concern of this paper is to understand the concept ‘user education’ in the local context and its present practices in university libraries. Even more, this study intends to understand problems encountered, challenges being faced and potential new opportunities available on user education in university libraries in Sri Lanka. The total outcome of this paper is beneficial for researchers, policy makers, university authorities and academic librarians in Sri Lanka to understand the real situation which exists behind instructional activities of university libraries and to design, develop, implement policies and make strategies on pertinent subject. Journal of the University Librarians’ Association of Sri Lanka, Vol. 19, Issue 1, October 2015, Page 92-114
Highlights
Gradual Movement of User Education User education is a much more complex practice in academic library settings than in other types of libraries in the present information society
The literature on user education in academic libraries is vast (Downard, 1992) and the concept has been understood by different people in different ways (Chopra, 2001)
The literature published in the field of library and information science provides substantiation that the above user education methods have a considerable history and information literacy that evolved from those precursors (Fjällbrant & Malley, 1984; Rader, 1991; Snavely & Cooper, 1997; Julien, 1998; Fjällbrant, 2000; Bruce, 2000; Homann, 2001; Seaman, 2001; Sinikara & Järveläinen, 2003; Weiss, 2003; Virkus & Metsar, 2004; Campbell, 2004)
Summary
Gradual Movement of User Education User education is a much more complex practice in academic library settings than in other types of libraries in the present information society. Historical and chronological studies on user education have not been done by the majority of countries in the world This means that only some industrialized countries have done such studies (Seaman, 2001; Manchester Metropolitan University, 2007; Virkus, 2003); Willingham, Carder & Millson - Martula, 2006). This is because these countries have evolved for the methodical development of the field of Library and Information Science and for the development of library profession. The other countries categorized as under developed or developing have not taken considerable measures to record or study the historical development of user education
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