Browsing by Author "Donkor, A.B."
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Item : Books-a-fright': technology and space changes in university libraries: a case of the University of Ghana Library System(International Journal of Information Systems and Change Management, 2024) Donkor, A.B.; Nwagwu, W.E.; Ampadu, J.O.Emerging technologies are rapidly changing and transforming spaces within academic libraries, giving rise to the implementation of distinctive services. The study sought to identify technology and space changes and the distinctive services introduced in university libraries. Interviews were conducted with heads of libraries coupled with document analysis of primary information sources to identify technology and space changes. The study revealed that most spaces in academic libraries have been converted into discussion areas, computer labs, lounges, and information commons. Computers with internet connectivity, printers, photocopiers, and telephones were available in these spaces. However, academic libraries faced technological, personnel, and financial challenges in implementing technology and space changes. The study recommended the investment in information and communication technology devices such as teleconferencing and video-conferencing devices and regular ICT-based training for librarians to be abreast of emerging technologies in providing academic library services.Item COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in Ghana: A Systematic Review(2023) Akrong, G.B.; Hiadzi, R.A.; Donkor, A.B.; Anafo, D.K.The propensity to accept vaccines and factors that affect vaccine acceptance and hesitancy will determine the overall success of the COVID-19 vaccination program. Therefore, it is essential for countries to understand the factors that influence vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in order to prevent further future shocks, and it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of these factors. This study, as a result, aims to review selected published works in the domain of study and conduct valuable analysis to determine the most influential factors in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana. The review also explored the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana. We selected published works from 2021 to April 2023 and extracted, analyzed, and summarized the findings based on the key factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana, the acceptance rate in Ghana, the demographic factors that are often examined, and the study approach used to examine these factors. The study found that positive vaccination perception, safety, belief in vaccine efficacy, knowledge of COVID-19, and a good vaccine attitude influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Ghana. The negative side effects of the vaccines, mistrust in the vaccine, lack of confidence in the safety of the vaccines, fear, and spiritual and religious beliefs all played significant roles in the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The demographic parameters frequently included in these studies that have a significant impact include educational attainment, gender, religious affiliation, age, and marital status.Item Impact of the Global University Ranking Systems on Higher Education in Ghana With Special Focus on the Role of Academic Libraries(IGI Global, 2023) Owusu-Ansah, S.; Donkor, A.B.; Asamoah, C.University rankings have altered the landscape of higher education around the world, and it is expected to continue to affect higher education institutions (HEI). The objective of this book chapter was to explore the implications of global university ranking systems on higher education in Ghana. Three ranking systems; times higher education (THE) world university rankings, webometrics ranking, and quacqarelli-symonds (QS) rankings in which the University of Ghana features were reviewed. Further, this book chapter discusses the impact that ranking systems have on higher education and its stakeholders. The study established that collaboration between the faculty and libraries is critical to ensuring higher scores by the ranking systems. This book chapter concludes that HEI in Ghana need to reposition libraries to better support universities in enhancing the visibility and ranking of the university globally. Finally, the authors have provided specific local solutions to be adopted by stakeholders in HEI.Item Libraries for Tomorrow: The Use of ICT and Space Transformation in Some Academic Libraries in Ghana(2022) Afrane, D.K.; Donkor, A.B.; Yamson, G.C.The aim of this study was to examine transformations in academic library spaces in Ghana. A quantitative approach was adopted for this study. Data was collected using Google Forms. A total of 98 librarians from five academic libraries in Ghana, which represents less than 10% of all librarians in academic libraries in Ghana, participated in the study. The data collected was analysed using R4.0 programming software and is presented using charts and tables. Eighty-one per cent (81%) of the participants agreed that their libraries were moving from “book-centred” to “technology-supported and learning-centred” libraries engineered by emerging technologies and the changing demand of academic library users. It was found that the librarians in the study had moderate to low skills in providing advanced technological support to users in creating, capturing, editing, and sharing multimedia (video, audio, text, images) content for their research, teaching, and learning purposes. The results from the multinomial regression analysis with p values shows that the availability of information technology (IT) facilities, their usability and the skills of librarians were significant, revealing that they have effects on the levels of library space transformation. The capabilities of librarians should be improved from undertaking basic computing tasks to providing advanced support to their users. Stakeholders and academic library management should encourage their young librarians to further their education and engage in continuous professional development programmes. Libraries should develop strategies to secure the necessary funding to integrate IT facilities. The study used quantitative methods to study transformations in academic library spaces, a grey research area in Ghana.Item Personal factors and personal information activities behaviors of faculty in selected universities in Ghana(Library and Information Science Research, 2019-11-06) Donkor, A.B.; Nwagwu, W.E.This study examined how demographic characteristics of faculty influence their personal information activities behaviors, namely information creation, information organization, and information storage. Data was collected from a sample of 235 faculty in six universities in Ghana using a questionnaire. Age, gender, rank and university of affiliation predicted personal information activities behaviors in different directions and with different magnitudes. Gender made a difference in information organization and information storage while age made a difference in respect of information creation and information organization only. Faculty ages 4049 years created information the most, followed by those above 50 years. Males stored information more than females. Rank made a difference in information creation, organization and storage, but university of affiliation made a difference in information creation and information storage, and not information organization. It is common among information system designers and managers to implement information management systems without considering the differential influence of personal variables on human information behaviors. This omission denies information users adequate access and maximum use of the information in their information space. Institutional leaders and PIM systems designers should consider demographic and other personal factors of faculty in information literacy programs. Profiling of users' personal characteristics when designing personal information management systems will enhance maximum access and utilisation of personal information.Item Personal factors and the role of memory in faculty refinding of stored information(Library Hi Tech, 2022) Nwagwu, W.E.; Donkor, A.B.Purpose – The study examined the personal information management (PIM) challenges encountered by faculty in six universities in Ghana, their information refinding experiences and the perceived role of memory. The study tested the hypothesis that faculty PIM performance will significantly differ when the differences in the influence of personal factors (age, gender and rank) on their memory are considered. Design/methodology/approach – The study was guided by a sample survey design. A questionnaire designed based on themes extracted from earlier interviews was used to collect quantitative data from 235 faculty members from six universities in Ghana. Data analysis was undertaken with a discrete multivariate Generalized Linear Model to investigate how memory intermediates in the relationship between age, gender and rank, and, refinding of stored information. Findings – The paper identified two subfunctions of refinding (Refinding 1 and Refinding 2) associated with self-confidence in information re-finding, and, memory (Memory 1 and Memory 2), associated with the use of complimentary frames to locate previously found and stored information. There were no significant multivariate effects for gender as a stand-alone variable. Males who were aged less than 39 could refind stored information irrespective of the memory class. Older faculty aged 40–49 who possess Memory 1 and senior lecturers who possess Memory 2 performed well in refinding information. There was a statistically significant effect of age and memory; and rank and memory. Research limitations/implications – This study was limited to faculty in Ghana, whereas the study itself has implications for demographic differences in PIM. Practical implications – Identifying how memory mediates the role of personal factors in faculty refinding of stored information will be necessary for the efforts to understand and design systems and technologies for enhancing faculty capacity to find/refind stored information. Social implications – Understanding how human memory can be augmented by technology is a great PIM strategy, but understanding how human memory and personal factors interplay to affect PIM is more important. Originality/value – PIM of faculty has been extensively examined in the literature, and limitations of memory has always been identified as a constraint. Human memory has been augmented with technology, although the outcome has been very minimal. This study shows that in addition to technology augmentation, personal factors interplay with human memory to affect PIM. Discrete multivariate Generalized Linear Model applied in this study is an innovative way of addressing the challenges of assimilating statistical methodologies in psychosocial disciplines.Item Personal Information Creation, Storage and Finding Behaviours of Faculty in Selected Universities in Ghana(Afr. J. Lib. Arch. & Inf. Sc., 2022) Nwagwu, W.E.; Donkor, A.B.The objectives of this study are to examine personal information creation and storage by faculty in selected universities in Ghana. The study also examined the factors associated with information finding/re-finding experiences of the faculty in their personal electronic and print information spaces and the influence of computer literacy in this regard. Data was collected from 235 faculty members of six universities in Ghana using a questionnaire. Faculty reported that they created personal information in an organised manner, and in comparison, with print, they created electronic information the most, and based on task at hand. Respondents strongly agreed that they found electronic information better when the information item is in a folder and has a content that relates to the folder name. They self reported their computer literacy to be mainly intermediate level skill acquired mostly through workshops and personal efforts. The result shows a significant but marginal relationship between computer literacy and re-finding personal electronic information (df=1, B=0.238, p=0.001), but not finding/re-finding personal print information. Irrespective of demographic characteristics, strengthening computer literacy targeted at faculty will improve refinding of previously stored electronic information.Item Personal Information Management Behaviors of University Faculty – Aspects of Print versus Electronic(journal Libri, 2021) Nwagwu, W.E.; Donkor, A.B.This study examined personal information creation and storage practices in digital and print media by faculty in selected universities in Ghana. A sample survey research design guided the research and quantitative data were collected from 235 faculty members of six universities in Ghana. Qualitative data was also collected from 18 willing faculty members and was guided by an interview schedule. Faculty reported that they created their information in an organized manner and that they created information mainly in digital formats compared with manual. The task at hand determined the information facility created and search words that are semantically related to the item are used in finding/re-finding electronic information. Faculty reported that they acquired their information literacy personally, and information literacy explained re-finding of digital information but not non-digital information. The demographic variables in the study did not explain finding/re-finding of stored information: gender (β=−0.113,p= 0.280) and age(β=0.038,p= 0.545). This study establishes clearly the pattern of information literacy activities for faculty in the universities in GhanaItem Student’s assessment of Balme Library’s use of information technology in providing quick and efficient library services(SA Jnl Libs & Info Sci, 2022) Afrane, D.A.; Van der Walt, T.; Donkor, A.B.An academic library operates primarily in a university, college, or polytechnic to provide content, materials, and resources, both print and electronic, to assist with teaching, research, and recreation of the university community. Users of academic libraries possess different levels of skills and expertise and have varying expectations of information technologies used in their academic discourse. This study sought to identify the level of accessibility and availability of information technologies to users in the Balme Library as well as their skills and abilities in the use of IT. It also sought to determine if a relationship exists between the accessibility of information technology tools and facilities available in the library and learning and research outcomes of users. The positivist approach to enquiry was employed in this study. Questionnaires were used in collecting data from undergraduate and postgraduate users of the Balme library of the University of Ghana. Findings from the study revealed a significant positive relationship between the accessibility and availability of IT resources and learning and research outcomes.Item Torn Between Two Worlds: Perceptions of the Role, Status, and Career Progression of Librarians Working in University Libraries(The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 2024) Donkor, A.B.; Asimah, A.P.A.; W.E., NwagwuLibrarians working in university libraries are torn between the two dominant categories (academic and pro fessional) of university staff. Belonging to either of the categories of staff has implications for the employees’ roles and duties, status, and career progression in the academic setting. This study sought to understand the perception of librarians’ roles, status, and career progression with the changing frontiers of knowledge and education in contemporary times. Using the qualitative approach, fourteen (14) librarians working in seven university libraries in Ghana were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. These librarians were purposively selected because they possessed the qualifications of practice and were experienced in the academic library setting. The data collected from the interview was transcribed. Using Nvivo software version 14, the researchers used the Reflexive Thematic Analysis method to garner codes and themes from the data to under stand the phenomenon under study. The findings from the study showed that librarians perceived their roles and responsibilities of academic librarians to be classified into three dominant categories: research support, teaching, and managerial/administrative roles. Again, academic librarians were assigned to either the academic or pro fessional cadre in their universities based on the university’s understanding of the library as a professional or academic unit irrespective of the Librarian’s qualification, roles and responsibilities and the changing academic librarianship landscape. The study revealed the challenges librarians working in academic libraries face with their promotion and career progression, including long years of waiting (6 years) to qualify for the promotion, role inconsistencies, stagnation/lack of promotion, the presence of an unclear career path, and the inability to meet promotion requirements due to the lack of time for research, all of which have implications on their job satisfaction leading to demotivation and stress among academic librarians. The findings of this study have practical implications for policymakers in the Library and Information Science (LIS) field, Higher Education Institutions (HEI), and researchers to understand the perception of the roles, status, and career progression of the librarians working in academic libraries in Ghana and to inform policy decisions.