An evaluation of the library connectivity project through the lens of the digital inclusion model

Abstract

Purpose It has been a decade, as the collaboration between the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) to extend information and communication technology (ICT) and library services to rural deprived, unserved and underserved communities in Ghana dubbed the library connectivity project. This paper aims to evaluate this initiative from the perspective of relevant key stakeholders and through the lens of the digital inclusion model. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a qualitative approach to evaluate the library connectivity project offered to deprived communities in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Interviews were conducted with the head librarians, ICT teachers and school librarians. Focus group discussions were held with pupils from four beneficiary schools of the project. The researchers also witnessed four of the outreach programmes and training sessions and observed the mode of instruction. Findings The study brought to fore the enormous benefits of the library connectivity project as it aided school pupils to acquire practical ICT skills, which were found to be useful towards their final exam. Despite the enormous benefit of the project, it was bereft with a lot of challenges such as inadequate logistics and personnel thereby restricting the project to very few schools. Low staff motivation and unmotorable roads were also found to be a challenge, which could all be as a result of lack of funds. Research limitations/implications The paper underscores the importance of computer and information literacy and reveals how the GhLA is using innovative mobile library services to bridge the digital divide through the library connectivity project. Originality/value This paper makes a further contribution to the paucity of literature on the role of mobile libraries in the promotion of computer and information literacy.

Civic activity of librarians versus social engagement and individual social capital

“…The effectiveness of library projects has been studied for a long time, yet, many of those studies are limited to online projects (e.g. Ayoung et al, 2020) and their results are not generally available and are not communicated to the personnel for evaluation. Extensive studies on the impact of libraries on the society and the respective areas of that impact, such as, for example, engagement, teaching and learning, developing and managing resources, supporting research, scientific communication and digital analyses (Resnis and Natale, 2020) would also be valuable.…”