Author Guidelines for Submission of Abstract & Extended Abstract

Call for Abstract

The Vithiananthan Library, University of Jaffna, is pleased to announce its 3rd International Research Conference on Library and Information Science (ETAKAM 2027), scheduled on the 28th of January 2027.  We warmly invite researchers, academics, librarians, information professionals, and students to submit an abstract of their original research work for consideration to be presented at the Conference.

Important dates
  • Call for Abstract 01 September 2026
  • Deadline for Submission of abstracts & extended abstracts 01 November 2026
  • Notification of Acceptance 15 December 2026
  • Camera-ready Submission 01 January 2027
  • Registration Opens 15 January 2027
  • Conference Date 28 January 2027
Theme and Sub-themes

The primary theme of the conference is “Knowledge Building: Libraries at the Intersection of Tradition and Innovation”.  You are invited to give short, dynamic presentations where you can share your research findings, innovative ideas, and experiences concisely.  Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

  • Digital Transformation and Emerging Technologies in Libraries
  • Digital Humanities and Interdisciplinary Research
  • Artificial Intelligence and Future Libraries
  • Preservation and Digitization of Cultural Heritage
  • Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning
  • Scholarly Communication and Open Access
  • Public Libraries and Community Engagement
  • Library and Information Science Education and Professional Competencies
  • Knowledge Organization, Metadata, and Information Retrieval
  • Sustainable Development and Green Library Practices
Submission guidelines
  1. Author(s) who wish to present their research work at the Conference on Library and Information Science (ETAKAM 2027) should submit an abstract and an extended abstract in the prescribed format. The extended abstract is only for review purposes.
  2. The annexed declaration form must be duly perfected and signed by all authors.
  3. The electronic version of the three documents (both abstracts & declaration form) must be submitted to the editor.etakam@univ.jfn.ac.lk
  4. All the queries related to submission must be directed to the same email.etakam@univ.jfn.ac.lk
  5. All correspondence regarding the submitted Abstract & Extended Abstract will be addressed to the author mentioned as the ‘Corresponding author’.
  6. Author(s) could, if they wish, submit and present their paper in Tamil or English.
Review procedure
  • Initial screening of the submitted abstracts will be done by the Editorial Committee.
  • Subsequently, the screened abstracts will be sent to independent reviewers for double-blind peer review.
  • The editorial committee will forward the comments received from the reviewers to the corresponding author.
  • Based on the reviewers’ recommendations and comments, the abstract shall be accepted as it is, or resubmitted with revisions (minor/major), or rejected.
  • Authors are expected to consider the reviewers’ comments and respond within the stipulated time, as informed by the committee.
  • The editorial committee will check the appropriateness of the author’s response. Based on this, the editorial committee will decide whether to accept the abstract or not.
  • The Editorial Committee reserves the right to edit abstracts for clarity, style, and academic quality.
Publication and Presentation
  • The accepted abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings, which carry an ISBN.
  • Each accepted paper must be presented at the conference by one of its authors (one presenter per paper).
  • Authors, particularly local participants, are strongly encouraged to present their papers in person, as physical presentations are preferred. Virtual presentations will be permitted only under exceptional and unavoidable circumstances and must receive prior approval from the Conference Organizing Committee.
Author guidelines for the abstract
  • The authors should report only their original research. Any part of the research should not have been published or presented elsewhere.
  • The title of the abstract should be concise and specific. It should reflect the contents of the research as a whole.
  • The abstract should be unstructured and should not exceed 300 words. It should cover all aspects of the work. i.e., Background and Objectives, Research design/materials and methods, Results, Conclusions and Recommendations.
  • Tables, diagrams, and photographs should not be included.
  • Key words (maximum six) should be provided with the abstract.
  • If the abstract is in English, the text should be in 12-point Times New Roman, with 1.5 line spacing and justified alignment. If the abstract is in Tamil, it must be typed directly using a Unicode-compliant Tamil font/keyboard. Non-Unicode fonts such as Bamini should not be used, even if the text is later converted to Unicode. The title should be in bold.
  • Immediately beneath the title, type the last name with initials of the author(s) in Times New Roman 12-pt. bold type, left-justified. Below the names of the author(s), state their affiliation(s) and the email address of the corresponding author.
  • The abstract should be submitted in Microsoft Word 2007 or the latest format. If it is in Tamil, the abstract should be submitted in both Microsoft Word format and PDF format.
Guidelines for the format of the Extended abstract/Synopsis

The extended abstract should offer sufficient information for the reviewer to comprehend the totality of the research. Length should not exceed 600 words. The words “Extended abstract” and the title must be Times New Roman, Bold, and 12 pt. The remaining text must be in Times New Roman, 12-point, 1.5 line spacing with justification.

  • The title of the extended abstract should be concise and specific.
  • Immediately beneath the title, type the authors’ names with initials, affiliations, and the email address of the corresponding author
  • The length of the extended abstract should not exceed 600 words. It should cover all aspects of the research work.
  • Background, the problem being addressed in the research and its objectives – 150 words
  • Research methods used- 100 words.
  • Findings and Discussion ‐ 150 words.
  • Conclusion ‐ 50 words.
  • Suggestions – 50 words
  • Tables, diagrams and photographs should not be included in the extended abstract.
  • References (not more than three) should be given in APA (7th edition) referencing style. APA style guide examples can also be found here
  • https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples
Extended Abstract Template