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Libraries for Tomorrow: The Use of ICT and Space Transformation in Some Academic Libraries in Ghana
Abstract
Purpose-the aim of the study was to examine transformations in academic library spaces in Ghana
Design/Methodology/approach-the qualitative approach was adopted for this study. Data was collected using Google Forms. A total of 98 librarians from five academic libraries in Ghana represent less than 10% of all librarians in academic libraries in Ghana. Data collected were analyzed using the R 4. 0 programming Software and presented using charts and tables.
Findings- Eighty-one percent (81%) of the participants agreed that their libraries were moving from ‘book-centered’ to ‘technology supported and learning centered’ libraries engineered by emerging technologies and the changing demand of academic library users. Again, it was revealed that librarians had moderate to low skills in providing advanced technological support to users in creating, capturing, editing, and sharing multimedia (video, audio, text, images) for their research, teaching, and learning purposes. Finally, results from the multinomial regression analysis with p values showed that availability of IT utilities, usability and skills of librarians were significant revealing that they have effects on the levels of library space transformation.
Practical implications- The capabilities of librarians should be improved form undertaking basic computing task to providing advanced support to their users. Stakeholder and academic library management should encourage their young librarian to further their education and engage in continuous professional development programmes. Libraries should develop strategies to secure the necessary funding to implement IT facilities.
The originality-The study used quantitative methods to study transformations in academic library spaces, a grey researched area in Ghana.
This study aimed to review evidence on the continuing professional development (CPD) strategies that have been implemented for academic librarians and the CPD strategies that have enabled the implementation of digital transformation within academic libraries in Africa. A literature search in six databases was performed, which included Academic Search Premier (searched through EbscoHost), Emerald, Eric (searched through EbscoHost), Proquest Thesis, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A total of 3716 studies were retrieved from the six databases and exported into EndNote Referencing Manager. After removing duplicates and screening, 60 records were retained. Subsequently, full-text reading was done, and 15 records did not meet the criteria thereby leaving 45 records that were included in the review. The findings showed that the CPD strategies implemented in academic libraries included mentorship, availing librarians with protected time to engage in learning, and collaborating with external environments among others. However, academic libraries in Africa are yet to embrace the need to recruit a staff specifically designed for CPD activities, many do not have allocations within their budgets for Librarians’ training, and have no library staff training policies, The review established that few studies had reported on the CPD strategies that had led to the implementation of digital transformation in Africa. This included collaboration, attending short courses, and mentorship. Libraries need to designate staff in charge of librarians’ CPD activities, develop librarians’ training policies, and allocate funds for librarians’ training within their budgets.
Academic libraries are mandated to support the information needs of their students, staff, and faculty. In the current technological environment and the influx of artificial intelligence technology into services provision and delivery, this study assessed the knowledge and perception of librarians on the use of AI in library services provision in Ghana. The population for the study consisted of librarians from all 15 public universities in Ghana. Findings from the study revealed that the librarians were knowledgeable of the emergence of AI and sources their information on AI mainly from research articles. It was also revealed that educational level had a significant positive (r= 0.3, p<0.01) relationship with the sources of knowledge on AI tools and applications. There was a positive significant relationship (r= 0.533, p<0.01) between educational level and the frequency of knowledge acquisition on the application of AI in academic library services provision. Academic libraries are encouraged to invest in AI tools and applications to leverage their advantages.
This study investigated utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resources and job effectiveness among library staff in the University of Calabar and Cross River University of Technology, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A sample of two hundred and twenty five (225) respondents was randomly selected for the study. The selection was done through the stratified random sampling technique. The questionnaire was the main instruments used for data collection. The reliability estimate of the instruments was established through the test-retest reliability method. Pearson product moment correlation analysis was employed to test the hypotheses under study. Each hypothesis was tested at. 05 level of significance. The results of the analysis revealed that, staff use of internet, use of e-mail, use of PowerPoint and use of computer significantly related with library staff job effectiveness. (Aniebiet Inyang Ntui, 2021)Based on the findings, it was recommended that library managers should organized workshop to educate library staff on the use of ICT.
Purpose
This study was aimed to examine emerging knowledge commons in the public libraries in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District in Free State, South Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A triangulated sample survey was adopted to collect data from the users of the commons using a questionnaire, and data of community member and the library officers were collected using an interview schedule. The study was guided by Hess and Ostrom's Institutional Analysis and Development framework.
Findings
The librarians and the commons users recognise the changing nature, roles and services of the libraries without necessarily attributing the changes to the emergence of knowledge commons. Users viewed the commons by the learning opportunities offered by information and communication technologies. They were, however, willing to contribute their resources to boost and enrich the commons; their contributions presently take the forms of volunteering of their knowledge and skill through offering of training sessions to users of the commons. A critical aspect of the commons, namely, participation in the governance and management of the commons resources appears not to be occurring.
Practical implications
To adequately build knowledge commons in the libraries will require formally introducing knowledge commons in the libraries, doing a systems analysis, deciding on the content and their sources, drawing up a programme for nurturing the system including training of relevant staff and then providing basic infrastructures.
Originality/value
This study used quantitative approach to deploy the institutional analysis development Institutional Analysis and Development framework in the study of public library institution. Studies on knowledge commons in public libraries have not been found.
The web environment, advancement in technology, options of sources, formats of information and flow of information has great impact on role of libraries as well as role of library professionals. Its create a lot of challenges for library professionals and LIs professionals are forced to change the way they are functioning in providing information needs of users. These new roles required ICT skills and knowledge. This paper discussed about ICT and its impact on library professionals and also highlights about the ICT skill requirements of LIS professionals. Introduction: In today environment relevant information is very essential to the development of society and library, the relevant information is also required to keep and prevent very well. Libraries are recognized as custodians of books, information and knowledge. The researcher, teachers, students, administrator, industrial & business manager, artisan, farmers etc. are needed an information to equip themselves better for the productive pursuit of their respective occupations. They are depending on library to get their information. Now we are living in information society where ICT has change the way and dimension of information & its flow. Rapid advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have brought revolutionary changes in library operations and Librarianship. These changes transformed that the role of library professionals from custodian of library books to information solution providers and knowledge manager. The success of ICT implementation depends largely on availability of competent library professionals because library professionals are the key to successful use of any new technology in a library. The ICT has tremendous impact on librarianship and library user's expectations. The society is becoming more complex and dependent on Science and Technology (S&T). The need for timely organization, communication and dissemination of information is increasing day by day. Information is being recognized as an important resource of accelerating to national development. We are in the age of fast technological changes along with information explosion. There has been a growing interest and concern over modernization of library operations and services in India since 1980s. Due to information explosion, automation of library services is
Library and data science is an exceptionally wide impart, which utilizes an extensive variety of continually advancing examination systems and methods. Bureaucrats have a chance to discover better approaches to coordinate accumulations and administrations to tutee needs and institutional objectives by giving assets and programming in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. With the development of worldwide tutee enlistment in universities, client recognition has turned into a territory of creating research in scholastic libraries. So as to serve these tutee’s better, colleges will be required to additionally see how scholastic library administrations are at present seen by global students. The inference is that the utilization of Information innovation in Libraries serves to give better presidencies to the end customer and the supply of information is utilized as a part of a superior route for the improvement of scholarly exercises. The main intention of this paper is to present the outcome of data innovation, mobile application, Radio frequency identification, self-check-out kiosk in the scholastic Amity University Dubai library and depicts the effect of this new innovation on present and future instructive administrations and proposes an engineering that augments the advantages for the organization and for the global students.
Keywords—Library Management, Information Technology, RFID, Mobile Technology, 3-D Printing, Library Kiosk
The aim of this paper is to examine the challenges that students are facing in using the library. Information retrieval skills are of paramount importance for one to be able to access information resources in different formats in the library. This paper focuses on the different challenges that the students face in accessing information in the library. The findings of the study reveal that there are challenges such as for example, lack of proper knowledge on how to use information retrieval skills, insufficient user education, lack of computer knowledge, Information Communication Technology (ICT) in accessing information in the library. The study recommended that information literacy skills training be compulsory for first year students so that they will be able to advance to higher level and become information literate. Library Education should also form part of the university curriculum. ICT specialists who are focused on library issues are of paramount importance.
This study seeks to explore what factors influence students’ ICT use and web technology competence. The objectives of this study are the following: (a) To what extent do certain elements of Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DOI) explain students’ ICT use, (b) To what extent do personality characteristics derived from the Big Five approach explain students’ ICT use, and (c) To what extent does motivation explain students’ ICT use. The research was conducted in Israel during the second semester of the academic year 2013-14, and included two groups of participants: a group of Educational Technology students (ET) and a group of Library and Information Science students (LIS). Findings add another dimension to the importance of Rogers’ DOI theory in the fields of Educational Technology and Library and Information Science. Further, findings confirm that personality characteristics as well as motivation affect ICT use. If instructors would like to enhance students’ ICT use, they should be aware of individual differences between students, and they should present to students the advantages and usefulness of ICT, thus increasing their motivation to use ICT, in the hopes that they will become innovators or early adopters.
The study sought to examine the extent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
application in Library and Information Science (LIS) education in Nigeria. It looked at what formed the
stumbling block to this ICT application. But first it x-rayed LIS courses in the undergraduate curricula of
Library Schools that require ICT infrastructural application. Descriptive survey design was employed.
Questionnaire was used to elicit data from the librarians. Other methods used to obtain data for the
study include documentary evidence and checklist. Descriptive statistical techniques such as mean
and standard deviation were used to analyse the data collated. Findings of this study revealed that
dearth of ICT infrastructure affect its low application in teaching and learning. The LIS educators do not
actually apply in their teaching the ICT infrastructure in the available ICT related courses because of
large class size, erratic power supply, inadequate infrastructure etc. Hence this affects the LIS
professionals because they come out not having enough ICT skill knowledge. This study recommends:
increase in the number and acquisition of more different types of ICT training infrastructure, aw areness
creation on the importance of application of ICT infrastructure, standardization of the types and number
of training facilities and ensuring their actual implementation in teaching and learning in library school
programme in Nigeria by LIS professional bodies. It also recommends resource sharing to curb
inadequacies of this infrastructure among others. This study concludes that when these are
implemented library schools will not only compete favourably with other information related fields but
live up to their expectations of producing librarians who will use the ICT tools to offer the type of
services required and needed by information seekers in our contemporary society.
Key words: LIS education, ICT, ICT infrastructure, Nigeria.
What skills do librarians need in today’s world with its Google-esque movement toward ubiquitous instant information? Anecdotal evidence suggests librarians are acquiring a wider range of information technology (IT) skills.This study examines the IT skills employers deem essential by conducting a content analysis of randomly selected job ads from ALA’s online JobList over a five-month period. We found a substantial need for Web development, project management, systems development, and systems applications. This suggests that librarians are incorporating a significant subset of IT professionals’ skill sets. This trend poses challenging questions for their identity and profession.
The purpose of the study was to examine change management in public and private university libraries in Ghana, identify possible problems in order to make recommendations to enhance future change assignments. The study adopted the survey approach as the research design. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data obtained from the questionnaires to obtain frequencies and percentages. Data obtained from the interviews of the heads of the various university libraries were analyzed using content analysis. The study revealed that majority of the respondents from the public and private university libraries were aware of ongoing changes in the libraries. Changes in technology were the most prevalent type of change initiative embarked upon by academic libraries. Also, the library staff did not show any serious sign of resistance to change projects embarked upon in the library. In view of these findings, it was recommended that academic libraries should have change management policies and staff should be involved in the discussions and decision making processes in relation to change management. The comparative nature of the study provided insights into the similarities and differences that exist in change management in public and private Universities in Ghana. It is evident from the literature that very few studies have been conducted comparing the change management procedures applied in public and private academic libraries in Ghana.
The main objective of this study was to find out the key challenges when using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in University Libraries (UL) and Special Libraries (SL) in Sri Lanka. Twenty nine (29) Main & Faculty UL and thirty eight (38) SL were selected out of 36 and 76 libraries respectively. Random sampling technique was used to select the sample. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Out of the total, 22 UL and 28 SL responded. According to the analysis of data it was found that a majority of the UL (79.55%) were challenged with insufficient fund allocations to purchase necessary ICT equipment, while a majority of the SL (73.21%) faced a challenge of a lack of an island-wide distribution network. Next, 78.41% of the UL were also challenged with a lack of an island-wide distribution network and 66.07% of the SL were constantly challenged with delays in purchasing computers and other ICT equipment. Laws and regulations for purchasing and maintaining ICT tools in the UL (77.27%) and SL (65.18%) were also identified as major challenges. Provision of sufficient fund allocations for ICT, the need to inculcate skills and knowledge regarding ICT activities for administrative staff, conducting in-service and outdoor high quality training programmes for library staff, are some of the recommendations suggested hereby to overcome above challenges in UL and SL in Sri Lanka.
The paper covers information infrastructure available in India.. Defines electronic media as applicable for libraries. The results of a survey of Indian libraries with respect to the availability of information technology infrastructure for accessing electronic media and dissemination of information, use of computers and the extent of progress in library automation, use of CD-ROM databases and electronic/online journals. It also deals with the availability of telephone, fax, e-mail, Internet in Indian libraries as well as the perceived impact of digital libraries on library system and its functions.
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is an audit of information technology (IT) skills set of librarians in some Nigerian university libraries with the aim of examining their relevance and adequacy to the digital environment. Nigerian universities as knowledge creators and their libraries as gatekeepers of knowledge are rapidly witnessing the introduction of various IT. One of the challenges facing IT/digital library projects in Nigeria has been the readiness of the university libraries in terms of knowledge and skills to implement the digital and electronic library services.
Design/methodology/approach
– This paper used the survey approach. The sampling technique for the selection of the universities was stratified and for the librarians (respondents), census. The sampling frame was the approved list of universities released by the National Universities Commission as of the time of this study. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.
Findings
– The findings of this paper revealed that many of the respondents do have knowledge and skills of email use and word processing tasks but lack knowledge of search engines and directories other than Google and Yahoo, respectively. Many of them do not know how to evaluate and catalogue e-resources; have no knowledge of subject gateways, specialised databases and some open-access library databases; have no knowledge of database management; are not skilled in Web design; and are equally not familiar with Web design applications.
Originality/value
– The study recommends management support for IT skills training and/or continuous professional development to improve the librarians. Librarians are also challenged and encouraged to explore the range of training resources available over the Internet for self-development.
Purpose
– This paper aims to present an exploration of the potential utilisation of different information and communication technologies (ICT) in Indian academic libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
– A survey method was used for the collection of data. A structured questionnaire, containing close-ended questions, was sent by postal mail to 30 librarians of the Central University Libraries in India, of which 15 questionnaires were returned.
Findings
– Academic libraries in India have mostly been involved in applying traditional ICT-based solutions for the management of various library functions and services, particularly for organising and retrieving information. Use of modern ICT-based tools of knowledge creation and sharing such as web discovery tools, blogs, wikis, Real Simple Syndication feeds, social networking and social bookmarking seems uncommon in academic libraries. Lack of trained staff in ICT, low level of ICT skills among library users, unawareness of potential benefits of ICT and inadequate ICT infrastructure were found as the major barriers of ICT applications in academic libraries.
Practical implications
– Academic libraries in India are still in the early stage of understanding the importance of modern ICTs. Librarians should renovate existing library environment and develop knowledge and skills among their staff in the fields of computer programming, website or portal development, hardware maintenance and metadata or e-resource management for providing quality information services to their users.
Originality/value
– Because no empirical study on the use ICT-based knowledge management (KM) tools in academic libraries in India has been carried out before, this study closes this gap and provides guidelines for practising librarians, policy makers, management and the University Grants Commission of India to promote the use of ICTs in libraries, and to design courses of information communication technology and related skills.
Purpose – Technology has transformed teaching and learning environments in tertiary education, introducing new collaborative library spaces and developing the roles and skills of library staff. Academic libraries need continually to re-examine their services to ensure they meet student needs. The current survey aimed to discover how students perceived staff in the Information Commons (IC) and whether their perceptions of staff attitudes and skills influenced their use of library resources.
Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire containing closed and open questions was distributed electronically to undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Sheffield, obtaining 250 responses (c1% of the student population).
Findings – The results showed that most students were unable to distinguish different groups of staff, were unaware of their departmental librarian and did not recognise the academic role of librarians. However, those who had sought assistance in the IC or attended classes delivered by librarians had positive views of their experiences.
Research limitations – The timing and fixed duration of the study limited the size and nature of the sample, the generalizability of the findings and depth of the investigation, but sufficient data were collected to establish patterns of behaviour and identify important factors.
Practical implications – Low awareness among students of the expertise of librarians and their capacity to provide academic support indicates a need for more promotion to ensure library resources are properly utilised.
Originality/value – The study is thought to be the first of its kind conducted in the UK and the only such survey carried out in an Information Commons setting.
This study aims to explore the potentials of using mobile technologies (m-techs) to enhance academic library services delivery in the distance learning environment in Ghana. The objectives are to assess the students' awareness and appreciation for mobile technology-based library services; and to assess the librarians' competencies in switching to delivering mobile technology-based services. Using a descriptive survey, a questionnaire was administered online to collect data from 382 students and 118 library staff within two public universities in Ghana. A total of 453 responses were used for the final analysis. A descriptive analysis method was used to analyze the data. The results indicated that the students were aware and had positive appreciation for the value of mobile technology-based library. They expressed great expectations about the availability of the library services on m-tech platforms in Ghana. However, the findings of this study also revealed that academic libraries in Ghana were crawling behind in switching toward the delivery of the library services on m-tech platforms due to the shortage of technical and skilled staff with m-tech competencies in the selected libraries. The findings have practical implications in assisting the academic libraries in developing roadmaps for using mobile technologies to enhance academic library services to support distance education, not only in Ghana, but also in other countries. The findings also demonstrate the proliferation of the mobile device usage within the university environment and indicate how librarians should build their competencies in switching to deliver services on m-tech platforms. As a study of this nature has not been conducted in Ghana, this study fills the gap in m-tech research in the context of library services and distance learning.
In the age of information explosion, the prosperity of the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) has become an information super highway, speeding up information exchange and sharing for information users. Over the Internet platform, emerging technologies in the fields of computer technologies, network technologies, telecommunication technologies, web technologies, and so on have provided global libraries with innovative approaches toward the enhancement and integration of information resources and services. This chapter will explore the definition of emerging technologies and its relationship with libraries in the modern information society. It will discuss the evolving information technology architecture, which demonstrates general areas where emerging technology applications impact current library information resources and services. Finally, this chapter will examine how emerging technology could impact librarians as well as which emerging technologies might shape library services in the coming years of the twenty-first century.
Library and information professionals today need to acquire knowledge and skills in information and communication technology (ICT) as the services of more and more libraries are now centering around information technology, especially in educational institutions. Application of ICT in academic environment in India has increased gradually in the recent decades, more particularly in Tamil Nadu. This paper examines the ICT skills among librarians in engineering educational institutions in Tamil Nadu. The analysis of the data represents the extent and the level of ICT skills possessed by the librarians of these institutions.http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/djlit.27.6.145
Within the past 10 years, commons have become increasingly prominent in academic libraries. Commons evolved out of the “library as a place” movement and stem from the digital revolution, increased emphasis on collaborative learning, and changing student habits and needs. The three levels of commons are information commons, learning commons, and the emerging virtual commons. Libraries implementing commons must consider the impact on reference services and staffing and be prepared for higher than anticipated use. Libraries should use both quantitative and qualitative assessment methods. Commons can revitalize the library by giving it a key role in reaching university strategic goals.
States that in 2001 the University of Cape Town (UCT) Libraries opened a new and integrated learning centre based on the “information commons” concept fairly common in the USA today and first encountered at the Leavey Library of the University of Southern California. Discusses the results of a series of interviews with student assistants working in the Knowledge Commons, in an attempt to provide an evaluation of the impact of this resource on teaching and learning at UCT. Concludes that the study has confirmed the importance of most of the unique features of the information commons as discussed in the literature.
The evolution of technology in libraries is causing more technically oriented professionals to join the library profession. Having an electronic services librarian has become a hallmark of the electronic age. Many imaginative but similar job titles appear in library employment advertisements: “Network Services Librarian,” “Reference and Electronic Information Services Librarian,” “Electronic Information and Multimedia Librarian,” “Information Integrator.” Why is this new field in librarianship so popular? What are the requirements to be an “electronic services librarian?” What will their future be like? Is this new professional the answer to all new library technology developments? This article examines these questions and explores the problems in this emerging position by analyzing the experience of one academic library.
The learning support role of the Information Commons exhibits emergent properties characteristic of organizational learning theory. The literature review highlights four articles from the United States, one from Germany, and one from Japan to illustrate the issues involved. The philosophy of the commons extension across physical, virtual, and cultural domains and the development of the Learning Commons as a collaboration among multiple learning support units, including libraries, are traced from theoretical origins through real-world examples. “Integrative learning” is offered as one example of a 21st century learning paradigm being supported by such collaborations, as evidenced by the development of commons-based e-portfolio systems.
Access to and Impact of Information Technologies at Balme Library, University of Ghana.” MLIS diss
- Daniel Afrane
- Akwasi
Impact of Technology on Education
- M Oak
Application of Information Technology (IT) in Special Libraries, Information, and Documentation Centres (LIBIDOCS) in Chennai: A Study of Its Impact on LIS
- Kasi Rao
- B Ramesh Babu
Challenges of Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in University Libraries and Special Libraries in Sri Lanka
- R M Rathnabahu
- Nadeeka