Michael Ahenkorah-Marfo and Harry Akussah
Social media allows collaboration, participation and sharing in libraries with users. The purpose of this study is to examine the response of academic librarians in Ghana to the…
Abstract
Purpose
Social media allows collaboration, participation and sharing in libraries with users. The purpose of this study is to examine the response of academic librarians in Ghana to the use of social media in reference and user services.
Design/methodology/approach
It is a quantitative study that used the Likert type of questionnaire in soliciting the views of academic librarians from six public and private universities in Ghana on their knowledge and use of social media in providing reference and user services.
Findings
The findings of the study indicate that majority of academic librarians are knowledgeable and use social media for both personal and work-related purposes. They, however, lack adequate skills to use the array of social media tools to make remarkable difference in service delivery. For this reason, they find the traditional mode of service delivery a comfort zone.
Practical implications
Higher education policy makers in Ghana and elsewhere would find the results useful in decisions on the types of social media tools to use in universities and colleges.
Originality/value
The study provides in-depth analysis of the impact of social media on reference and user services in Ghanaian libraries, which is deficient in literature. It also recommends change in policy direction and training to whip up interest in librarians to use social media.
Details
Keywords
Michael Ahenkorah-Marfo and Harry Akussah
The purpose of this research is to investigate the preparedness of academic libraries in Ghana for the use of social media in reference and user services.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to investigate the preparedness of academic libraries in Ghana for the use of social media in reference and user services.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research approach using interviews was used to solicit the views of Systems/reference librarians from six most highly ranked public and private universities (in Ghana) on their libraries’ preparedness for use of social media to provide reference and user services.
Findings
The findings of the study indicate that most of the university libraries lacked policy on the use of social media and that though librarians held the perception that social media was useful, they lacked the competence and motivation to use social media to make a remarkable difference in service delivery.
Practical implications
Academic libraries in Ghana and elsewhere will find the results useful in formulating policies for the use of social media in libraries.
Originality/value
This qualitative approach to the study of social media deviates from the mostly quantitative studies in the literature and has brought out more revealing findings.
Details
Keywords
Catherine Asamoah, Harry Akussah and Adams Musah
The purpose of this study is to examine the disaster management procedures and measures adopted by public institutions in managing their information resources with a view to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the disaster management procedures and measures adopted by public institutions in managing their information resources with a view to identifying possible problems and making recommendations for their resolution.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaires, interviews and observation were used to collect data from 65 respondents from 19 ministries and five respondents from the Public Records and Archives Administration Department (PRAAD) and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data collected for the study.
Findings
In the 19 ministries surveyed, the findings revealed high levels of unpreparedness to manage disasters concerning public records. The study also revealed the exposure of the ministries to various kinds of risks in their operations, and the lack of coordination between the heads of public sector institutions, NADMO and PRAAD. Also, inadequate budgetary allocation for the records department of the ministries and PRAAD was identified.
Research limitations/implications
The study concentrated on the headquarters (HQ) of the ministries because they are the administrative headquarters of public sector institutions and they make policies that are complied with by all the Regional and District branches as well as the Departments and Agencies in executing their tasks. The major limitation of the study was the inability of the researcher to cover all the ministries.
Practical implications
The recommendations made included cooperation among heads of the ministries, PRAAD and NADMO to develop a national information disaster management plan for the effective management of public records and information and a comprehensive program in public institutions to orientate staff on information disaster management.
Social implications
The study set the tone for public sector institutions and other institutions in the same area of operation to review the processes and procedures with regard to recordkeeping. Also, the study is anticipated to draw the attention of policy-makers (management of the ministries) and regulatory bodies in the field of records and disaster management (PRAAD and NADMO) to review their plans and policies to make provision for information disaster management.
Originality/value
The study is a research paper and critically looks at the disaster preparedness of public sector institutions in managing their records/information. It also examines whether there are any collaboration and coordination among public sector institutions in Ghana in having disaster preparedness and management plan to safeguard public records/information.
Details
Keywords
Patience Emefa Dzandza and Harry Akussah
There has been a significant change in the provision of library services due to the application of technology to every aspect of library services. This has posed a major challenge…
Abstract
Purpose
There has been a significant change in the provision of library services due to the application of technology to every aspect of library services. This has posed a major challenge to library staff as they need to be abreast with current technologies and their application to library services. One means by which a librarian can overcome this challenge is through professional development (PD) programs. The purpose of this paper is to determine PD opportunities in private university libraries in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey of 61 staff and interviews with 20 heads of libraries was conducted to collect data from 25 private universities in Ghana.
Findings
The study revealed that not all library staff in the private universities were allowed to attend PD programs. None of the private universities studied had a policy on PD and only three institutions made budgetary allocation to PD programs. Majority of the private universities did not have in-house PD programs and there were no means of knowledge sharing in most of the libraries studied.
Originality/value
In this paper, the researchers identified the major challenges encountered by library staff in private universities in Ghana and propose that librarians should see PD as a part of their own responsibility while, libraries should have a PD policy and make budgetary allocation toward PD.
Details
Keywords
Harry Akussah and Catherine Asamoah
The purpose of this paper is to survey and evaluate the management of public sector records in Ghana with a view to making constructive recommendations to ensure efficiency in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to survey and evaluate the management of public sector records in Ghana with a view to making constructive recommendations to ensure efficiency in public administration.
Design/methodology/approach
Published and unpublished works, in addition to institutional reports, acts and conference materials, were used for the survey and evaluation.
Findings
Public sector records management has been a very topical issue in Africa and Ghana. It has remained a very fundamental subject in Ghana since the institution of public sector reforms in the 1990s. Before the institution of the reform programme, critical records were inaccessible due to unstructured records systems in the ministries, departments and agencies and other government establishments. It was found out that the reform programme had brought on board immense capital injection into the records management sector which enabled an overhaul of the system. All registries in the public sector were restructured, a new legislative framework was put in place, a functional records centre was established, an omnibus retention schedule was developed and a number of records staff were trained and re-trained. It was however found out that Act 535, having been in operation for 17 years, the needed regulation to make it more operational has not yet been put in place. It is the hope that with adequate funding and structural support, the new system will be sustained to the benefit of efficiency and productivity of the Ghana public sector.
Research limitations/implications
Being a descriptive survey, the research engaged in very little evaluation of the impact of the new system put in place on the levels of efficiency and productivity in the public sector. This should be the focus of further research to be carried out.
Practical implications
This paper has established the importance of how structures must be sustained and systems continuously re-tooled to accommodate changing trends in records management for good governance.
Originality/value
The paper is a descriptive survey of literature, manuals reports and some degree of personal observations. It is more of a situation paper and its value resides in the precedence and the evidential value of system intervention and re-tooling.