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 / Information Science / M. Inf. (Information Science)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/26661 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Afrane, Daniel Akwasi |
| Contributors | Van der Walt, Thomas, 1957-, Mncube, Liberty |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 online resource (xiii, 168 leaves) ; tables and graphs, application/pdf |
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