A study of the current status of non-utilization of the book borrowing facility at the Kandy and Matara Regional Centres of the OUSL

Abstract

Distance learners engage in self-study with limited face to face contacts. Library support services are one of the most important support services that are provided for distance learners by the Institution. This study investigates the usage of the borrowing facility by the distance learners of the Kandy and Matara Regional Centres (KRC and MRC). The study reveals the characteristics of the borrowing facility users and the reasons for obtaining/not obtaining library membership at their regional centre libraries. This study also reveals the problems faced by the learners in using the book borrowing facility and the promotion of these facilities by the regional centre libraries. Further, the study also investigates the information seeking behavior of distance learners who registered at the two regional centres.