Role of school libraries in conserving sensitive environments: a case study on the Bolgoda Ecosystem in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Developing eco-sensitive citizens requires pro-environmental attitudes from childhood, with tailored educational strategies. This study examines how school libraries can facilitate environmental education on the Bolgoda ecosystem. A self-developed questionnaire was distributed to secondary-level students selected through stratified random sampling. Data from 841 respondents were analysed to assess environmental knowledge, information-seeking behaviours, and learning preferences. Results indicate minimal formal engagement with the ecosystem: while 74.3% of students had heard, only 28.1% had seen related media, 19% had visited, 5.5% had read, and merely 2.1% had formally studied. The average ecosystem knowledge score was notably low at 2.53 out of 10 (SD = 2.17, 95% CI [2.38, 2.68]), with 27.4% showing zero knowledge. Moreover, students’ interests were strongly oriented toward recreational aspects (78.4%) rather than critical environmental interaction (8.2%). While 80% of students identified school libraries as potential venues for environmental education, only 60% visited them at least once a month, and a majority of 65.4% preferred practical learning through environmental excursions. Chi-square analysis indicated that active engagement methods, such as exposure to visual media (P = 0.014) and site visits (P = 0.011), were significantly associated with higher environmental knowledge levels than passive methods, including hearing (P = 0.165), reading (P = 0.165), and formal study (P = 0.800). This disparity highlights a fundamental mismatch between traditional information-sharing and learning preferences. Hence, it is recommended to revisit environmental education strategies by integrating practical learning approaches into school library programs to better align with students’ learning preferences and enhance environmental knowledge.