An evaluation of library automation in some Ghanaian university libraries

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The study was undertaken to find out which library processes have been automated in Ghana's three older public university libraries namely, the Balme Library, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Library and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Library. Design/methodology/approach -Using data obtained through the use of questionnaires, the study examined areas of general automation, automation of specific library processes, networking, internet connectivity, training, and major constraints to library automation. Findings -The study found out that even though the university libraries realize the importance of library automation, they are hampered by lack of funds, lack of support from the university administrations, and lack of skilled staff to embark on automation of all library processes. It was also revealed that none of the libraries have on OPAC (online public access catalogue). Originality/value -The study concludes with recommendations that would enhance the university libraries drive towards automation of their library processes and ensure effective and efficient use of the new technology to raise the image of the libraries and give their library clients more services.

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“…These challenges corroborate the findings identified by studies in other academic libraries. For example, Amekuedee (2005); Saxena and Dubey (2014) identified the lack of support from University management and stakeholders as a major constraint for the integration of ICT and m-techs in academic libraries. Akusah (2018) also posit that technology adoption in libraries should be appreciated by the staff to facilitate its use.…”

Protection Strategies of Information in Automated Libraries and Information Safety in Nigerian Universities

“…Jayaprakash and Balasubramani, (2011) note that most of the libraries, in initial stage of their computerization, assign priorities on library house-keeping activities, as these activities are most rudimentary to make the foundation of automation stronger and the success of other advanced services depends heavily upon these activities. In contrast, Amekuedee (2005) argues that the cataloguing operation is the first library housekeeping operations to be automated when a library decides to automate. Circulation control is one of the most widely automated library housekeeping operations, and it is often the first and simplest activity to be automated in a given library Mutala (2012) states that cataloguing and acquisition are the two modules which are labour intensive.…”

Perspectives on university library automation and national development in Uganda

“…Library automation is the direct application of ICT to library functions such as acquisition, circulation, cataloguing and serials control (Amekuedee, 2005). Libraries automate their library services using integrated library systems (ILS) to improve efficiency and enhance access to library resources (Webber and Peters, 2010).…”

“…Librarians therefore partly fuelled the expansion in the quantity and communicability of information by adopting ICTs such as the ILSs and the Internet in their libraries. The libraries’ ability to make information available electronically directly facilitates interaction with information seekers in a more cost-effective manner (Amekuedee, 2005: 442). Individuals thus play an important role in ICT adoption and this is reflected in virtually all technology adoption models, such as the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in Davis et al’s (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and in Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovations (DoI) theory.…”