Access to and impact of information technologies at Balme Library, University of Ghana

Abstract

Libraries, particularly academic libraries implement technologies to enhance their services to promote teaching, learning and research. In this thesis the impact of information technologies (library technologies) on delivery of services at the Balme Library of the University of Ghana was evaluated. The researcher adopted the multi-methods approach to the research by using a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data from users (students) of the library and para-professional staff of the Balme Library of the University of Ghana who formed one group of the study. The interview was used to collect data form professional staff of the library who on the other hand formed the second group of the study. Responses of the data collected from the two groups formed the components of the study and data collected quantitatively were analysed using univariate analysis method and interpreted by the descriptive and inferential statistics method. The qualitative data, on the other hand, was analysed using the narrative analysis approach. The findings of the study reveal that a variety of IT facilities such as computers, internet, photocopiers, scanners, braille embossers, magnifiers for reading, reference management software, video conference facility, electronic theses, electronic databases, automated library system, electronic past questions and the library website are available at the library and are very accessible to all users (students) and staff of the library. Students and staff of the library have good IT skills to utilise those resources. The findings also reveal that the IT infrastructure had positive impacts on the delivery of library services ensuring that users received the appropriate services they needed at the right times and places The study found challenges of slow internet connectivity, unstable power supply, lack of IT skills, inadequate IT infrastructure among others and these hinder the maximum utilisation of IT in and out of the library and recommends periodic training of staff and users, proper maintenance of facilities, increase of internet bandwidth and better marketing of library services