Introducing Individual Research Consultation Services (IRC): A case study at Health-Care Sciences Library, Eastern University, Sri Lanka

Research consultation services of a library provide expert guidance and support for various research- related activities in a university setting. The general objective of the study is to explore the research consultation services provided by the library professionals of the Health-Care Sciences library to MBBS and Nursing undergraduates of the Faculty of Health-Care Sciences, Eastern University of Sri Lanka from 2021 to 2025. Data were sourced from an Excel spreadsheet detailing the research consultation service for MBBS and Nursing undergraduates from 2021 to 2025. The dataset includes the year of consultation, the number of MBBS and Nursing students, the total students and consultations, the mostly & highly discussed topics, and feedback. In addition, the records duplicating research topics were also checked. The quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using Excel, and the feedback was analyzed for word count and sentiment using NVivo software. A total of 253 consultations were conducted over the period from 1^st of January 2021- 30^th of June 2025. A total of student participation peaked in 2022 (128 students). Nursing students outnumbered MBBS students after 2021. The most discussed topics varied by year. The most frequently discussed topic was data analysis, appearing in nearly 25% of all cases, followed by sample size calculation, research topic, and methodology. According to the sentiment analysis, positive sentiment is the highest, indicating that the overall user experience was favorable. The word cloud of the feedback shows that the users highly value clear explanations provided during consultations. Since it is a valuable service, it can be extended to other faculties, and similar services can be implemented at other universities as well.