Gunasekera, C.2025-10-152025-10-152016-11-05Proceedings of Peradeniya University Interntional Research Sessions (iPURSE) - 2016, University of Peradeniya, P 399978-955-589-225-4https://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/handle/20.500.14444/5401How to increase the Faculty participation in self-archiving has been one of the key topics in the discussion and operation of institutional repositories (IRs) at present. The usability of an IR primarily relies on the amount of its content material, which becomes available through self-archiving of research outcomes by academic scholars in the Faculty. The main objective of this study is to examine the awareness and attitudes on self-archiving practices of academic scholars in the University of Peradeniya (UOP). A survey method was adopted and the questionnaires were distributed among all permanent academic staff members in the UOP on May, 2015 and out of 751, 279 duly completed questionnaires were received making a 37.1% response rate. With regard to the awareness of self- archiving, only 25% of the academics who participated in the survey mentioned that they are aware of it while 34% mentioned that they have not heard about self-archiving and 112(40%) did not respond to the question. As far as the experience in self-archiving is concerned, only 13% of the respondents are exposed to the self-archiving practices, while 45.5% did not have experience and only 8.6% mentioned that they have been self-archiving their work for 1-3 years. Of the respondents, 11.47% learnt about self-archiving while surfing the internet, followed by 5.38% came to know from professional friends or colleagues. With regard to the self-archiving materials, 29% of the scholars who responded to the survey prefer to self-archive conference papers rather than research reports and post print articles (23.7%). Findings suggest that most of the scholars (74.5%) who responded to the survey are unaware of self-archiving practices or even have not heard about it. Overall, only 13% of respondents have had exposure to self-archiving practices and most of them learnt about self-archiving from the internet and the most preferred format they would like to self-archive is conference papers. Based on the conclusions, it is recommended to conduct seminars and workshops to create awareness and on understanding of self- archiving among the university academics.en-USInstitutional repositories (IRs)Self-archivingUniversity academicsArticle