1. Empowering Librarians by creating a
Research Culture
Jayatunga Amaraweera
Former Librarian
Buddhist & Pali University of Sri Lanka

2. What is Culture ?
• The word culture has many different
meanings: Culture is the full range of
learned human behaviour patterns.
• Culture is "that complex whole which
includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals,
custom, and any other capabilities and habits
acquired by man as a member of society."
(Edward B. Tylor , 1871)

3. What is Research ?
• A detailed study of a subject, especially in order
to discover (new) information or reach a (new)
understanding. (Cambridge Dictionaries Online, 2003.)
• Systematic investigation to establish facts or
principles or to collect information on a subject (
www.thefreedictionary.com)
• Organized study: methodical investigation into a
subject in order to discover facts, to establish or
revise a theory, or to develop a plan of action
based on the facts discovered (
www.bing.com/Dictionary)

4. What is research?
• “A careful, systematic , patient study and
investigation in some field of knowledge,
undertaken to establish facts or princilpes”
(Grinnell, 1993:4)
• It is a discovery (Rediscovery); A voyage from
the known to the unknown
• An effort to be closer to the truth

5. Steps of Research process
• 1. Formulation a of a research problem
• 2. Creation of a research design
• 3. Constructing instruments for data collection
• 4. Selecting a sample
• 5.Writing the research proposal
• 6. Collecting data
• 7. Analysing / Processing data
• 8. Writing the report or thesis / dissertation

6. What is Research Culture ?
• Research is a learned behaviour; it is started the
days in secondary school and is enhanced as we
progress through our degrees and careers.
• The research culture is the structure which gives
that behaviour significance and that allows us to
understand and evaluate the research activity.
• In an university, the cultural structure based around
the behaviour of the staff and students that allows
us to transfer the knowledge gained through this
systematic process to our students and to the
community.

7. a need of Research Culture because:
• Research is the basis of how a university
education and learning works
• It is the intellectual life blood of our Academic
staff including librarians
• It should be the fundamental support of our
teaching, learning , knowledge development
and instruction
• It is a basis of our support for the university
and learning community.

8. Three basic components of a
Research Culture
The first strand is research, embracing the systematic
generation of new knowledge, development of new ideas
and experiment with new techniques.
The second strand is Learning and Teaching.
It explicates a body of ideas, is informed by available
research, and instills, habits of inquiry that reflect the
available nature of knowledge
The final strand is knowledge transfer.
It encompasses many dimensions of interaction between
academia and the wider society and community

9. Who are they ?

10. Developing research capacity in health
librarians
Health Information & Libraries Journal
Volume 25, Issue 3, pages 159-174, 11 AUG 2008 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00788.x
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00788.x/full#f1

11. Developing research capacity in
health librarians
Health Information & Libraries Journal
Volume 25, Issue 3, pages 159-174, 11 AUG 2008 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00788.x
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00788.x/full#f3

12. Implications for Practice in a
research culture
• Beginto give greater consideration to personal
research capability and begin developing this
through the learning of appropriate skills.
• Where possible become more involved with
research collaborations and networks such as online
discussion forums to help develop research skills
and to actively encourage and support engagement
with research activities.
• Where possible work closely with experienced
professional and academic researchers and ask to
be involved in more than just literature searches.
(Hannah Rossall et.al., 2008)

13. A member of Res. Cult. should be :
•A good planner and a designer
•A good observer
•An active reader
•An evaluator and an analyst
•A critic
•A competent interpreter
•A able presenter
•A profound reporter /writer

14. How to do research
(From Internet )
www.au.af.mil/au/awc/study/grant-research.ppt
www.eecis.udel.edu/~elloyd/signew.d/Research.ppt
www.powershow.com/view/146b09-OGRjZ/Why_do
_research

15. From Slideshare
http://www.slideshare.net/mssridhar/introduction-to-research-met
http://www.slideshare.net/sladner/week03-qualitative-vs-quantita
http://www.slideshare.net/m9821735856/research-design-plan
http://www.slideshare.net/omkarnn/research-methodology-
10685682

16. From YouTube (VDOs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFoSDPRaLOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGRE0acAjjU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd2XkcoMNT8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeKbBW5xvNU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4l0s0lrDl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3aBWEWBlGQ

17. Questions
&
Answers

18. Thank
You