Application of Information Technology in University Libraries: Utilization, Effects and Challenges

The harsh economic conditions during the 1970s and the early 1980s affected the funding of libraries in the tertiary institutions in Ghana. This reflected on the poor expenditure patterns for books, periodicals and other library materials. As a result, the university libraries could not adequately support the information needs of the user community. In the 1990s however, the following IT-based services; CD-ROM, e-mail, Internet, inter-library Loan and document delivery were introduced into the university libraries to help solve the problem of lack of current and up-to-date information. This book recounts the use of the IT services by faculty, researchers and students in response to their academic and research needs. Three university libraries providing IT services were studied. This book throws more light on how these services were utilized, the effects and challenges. The findings should help library professionals provide more reliable IT services and also expose them to more effective marketing strategies to enhance patronage. It should inspire university authorities and government to become more committed to the sustenance of IT services in the university libraries.

Angelina Lily Armah is currently the Librarian of the School of Public Health, University of Ghana. She holds BA in Social Work and Sociology, M.Phil in Information Studies. She worked at the Reference and Cataloguing departments of the Balme Library, University of Ghana. Her interest includes Library cooperation and resource sharing.