The Impact of Gender Stereotypes towards Undergraduate Preferences for Library and Information Science (LIS) Special Degree: Based on the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya

Gender roles typically encompass expectations and norms regarding behaviors, appearances, occupations, and societal roles associated with masculinity and femininity. Gender stereotypes refer to preconceived notions and expectations about the characteristics, behaviors, and roles associated with individuals based on their gender. It is a social construct that varies across cultures and historical periods. In the case of LIS, if it is stereotypically viewed as a female-dominated field, it may discourage male students from considering it as a career path due to societal expectations or perceived lack of masculinity associated with the profession. The main objective of the paper is to examine to identify the impact of Gender Stereotypes towards undergraduate preferences for Library Science (LIS) special degree. This paper emphasized the impact of Gender Stereotypes towards undergraduate preferences for Library Science (LIS) special degree in the Department of Library and Information Science. Method of the study is Descriptive research. Around 80% of female students select the LIS subject as a special degree rather than male students. Apart from the female students, there were a low percentage of male students who selected LIS as a special degree. The basic reason for that is the traditional mindset of the students. Because female students most seek their profession around their hometowns. These criteria show the awareness of the students of LIS subject and the nature of the gender stereotype in the LIS field. Especially these have shown the differences between the male and female students' perceptions and attitudes when selecting the subject as a special degree. This study gains the major fact that most of the trainers requested male trainees for the library training programs. Then, introducing what are the opportunities available for male and female LIS students, considering that, conducting related workshops can be introduced as the timeliest concern matters.