School of Information and Communication Studies
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Item Analysis of content, services, and resources available and accessible on websites of academic libraries(Digital Library Perspectives, 2024) Dei, D-G. J.Purpose – This study aims to review the content of academic libraries’ websites with specific reference to the general information, services, information resources, features and functionalities, instructional tools to support teaching, learning and research for the patrons and users, and the visibility or activeness of the navigational tools on the websites. Design/methodology/approach – The study focused on six categories of tertiary institutions: public universities, technical universities, chartered private universities, university colleges, colleges of education and nursing and midwifery schools. From each category, the researchers purposively selected five different institutions with library websites. Thus, 30 library websites were reviewed and analyzed for this study. Findings – The review disclosed a generally low content and information on the websites in terms of the availability of information resources and collections; the types of services available at the libraries via the websites; the features and functionalities of the websites; the instructional tools to support teaching, learning and research for the patrons and users; and the visibility or activeness of the navigational tools on the websites. Despite this, the public universities displayed more and above average information, services, information resources, instructional tools and navigational tools on their library websites, followed by the technical universities, chartered private universities and university colleges. Conversely, the colleges of education and nursing and midwifery schools were to a large extent unable to provide information relating to electronic resources, instructional tools and navigational tools. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to 30 library websites from all six categories of tertiary institutions in Ghana. From the study, the management of the universities and the libraries must appreciate the significant role of websites in providing information and resources in support of teaching, research and learning at the institutions. In this regard, they need to provide the necessary support and resources for the effective deployment and operationalization of websites. Originality/value – To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first of its kind as no study seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the content of academic libraries’ websites with specific reference to the general information, services, information resources, features, functionalities, instructional tools to support teaching, learning and research for the patrons and users, and the visibility or activeness of the navigational tools on the websites.Item Does Language Matter When Advertising to Africa’s Multilingual Audience? An ELM Study of Audience Language Preference and Responses(Journal of African Business, 2023) Yeboah-Banin, A.A.Choosing the most effective language is critical when advertising to multilingual audiences as the success of any advertising campaign depends on whether the audience “gets” the message. This paper argues that in Africa, “getting the message” is partly dependent on language given that indigenous languages, colonial legacy languages, and blends between them compete for audience attention. Using Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) arguments, the study examines this possibility among 1000 multilingual audience members in five cosmopolitan cities in Ghana. Findings show that advertisements are not consumed in a language vacuum and that language blends are the most appealing to the multilingual audience. The study also finds that attention to, and belief in advertisements are partly shaped by language preference. Besides these empirical contributions, the study positions the ELM as a viable theoretical lens for analyzing the implications of advertising language. Its use of an African sample to test the ELM’s assumptions also introduces novel evidence to the theory’s body of scholarship. Recommendations are made on how advertising practitioners and brand communicators may take advantage of language as an important segmentation criterion in advertising strategy.Item Role of academic libraries in the achievement of quality education as a sustainable development goal(Library Management, 2022) Dei, D.J.; Asante, F.Y.Purpose: This study explored the role of academic libraries in the achievement of quality education as a Sustainable Development Goal. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a qualitative research approach and descriptive case study design. This study focuses on academic libraries from four universities in Ghana. From each university, the researchers purposely selected four respondents, comprising the heads of the libraries, deputies, and two assistant librarians or library assistants. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews. observations and document reviews. The results were analyzed and presented in descriptive and interpretive forms. Findings: The study established that the majority of the library staff were aware of the sustainable development goal, SDG 4. The libraries provided relevant materials to support students’ learning and organize training on information literacy and engaging library patrons in periodic information literacy programs to create awareness of SDG 4. Since the libraries do not have their own internally developed policies on SDG 4, they depend on the general United Nations (UN) document on the SDG and SDG 4 as a guide in information delivery; and the general policies on information delivery, teaching and quality assurance of the universities in general and the libraries in particular. The study concluded with a framework to guide the successful accomplishment of SDG 4 in libraries. Research limitations and implications The study focused on academic libraries in Ghana and adopted the purposive sampling technique, which makes it assume a weak power of generalization. Practical implications: The study has implications for academic libraries and librarians in Ghana. achieving SDG 4. It will guide librarians and academic libraries in formulating policies to guide them in their activities. The framework developed as a result of the findings will equally guide the librarians in their quest to provide information to achieve SDG 4. Originality/value: This study’s originality lies in its articulation of academic libraries’ initiatives in the actualization of SDG 4 in Ghana with a developed framework to guide librarians and academic libraries. Academic libraries and librarians who are eager to contribute their quota to the achievement of SDG 4 will find this study useful.Item Social Media for Information Dissemination among Students(International Journal of Information Science and Management, 2021) Dei, D.J.; Anane-Donkor, L.; Okyere, F.Social media usage trends have established a drastic jump from 5% in 2005 to 72% in 2021. This study, therefore, sought to investigate the extent to which social media is being used to facilitate information dissemination by students in Ghana Universities. The Uses and gratifications theory (UGT), which seeks to explain why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs was used as the theoretical framework for the study. A descriptive research design was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data from respondents across tertiary institutions in Ghana. The study established that social media serves as one of the vital tools for learning and information dissemination among the students. The students used social media for academic work more than for recreational activities. They access social media through the mobile devices they own and are connected to the internet. While the majority of them had only one social media account, a significant proportion had more than one social media account. Although they somewhat trust the information on social media; they only consider it to be genuine unless it is related or find it relevant in the field of academics.Item Sustainability and development of EWE communities in Ghana through indigenous knowledge management practices(Collection and Curation, 2024) Dei. D-G. J.Purpose – Losing indigenous knowledge is to lose the future and impoverish the societies because indigenous knowledge is considered one of the cornerstones and survival of communities, societies and economies. This study, thus, aims to explore and assess the contextual enablers of indigenous knowledge and their role in developing and sustaining the Ewe communities in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – The qualitative research design, which enabled the researcher to engage the participants in an interview process and observation, was used in this study. It was augmented with a quantitative design using structured questions. Data analysis was guided by the basic principles of grounded theory. The coding system was aided by NVivo to analyze the qualitative data, while the quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS. Descriptive analysis and graphs were deployed in the presentation of the findings. Findings – The study discovered that the communities are in possession of several types of indigenous knowledge, ranging from tacit to explicit knowledge, which are embedded in their cultural and traditional systems and unique to every community; the culture of trust among the citizens and motivation to create and share knowledge in communities was high. Same time, family heads, farmer groups, libraries and museums played key roles in the preservation and management of indigenous knowledge in the communities. On the other hand, information officers and institutions like churches and police posts played insignificant roles in the management and preservation of knowledge in the communities just as the absence of a culture of willingness by the community members to create and share knowledge. Additionally, there was an absence of technological infrastructure, platforms, databases and policies to aid the management and preservation of knowledge in the communities. The study concludes that indigenous knowledge plays a vital role in the development and sustainability of communities in Ghana. Practical implications – Community leaders and political leaders need to invest in systems and structures that will promote the management and preservation of indigenous knowledge for the development of the communities and the state as a whole. Originality/value – The study demonstrates its originality in terms of scope, setting, population and empirical evidence by focusing on the role of indigenous knowledge in the sustainability and development of Ewe communities in Ghana.Item The role of social media in information dissemination to improve youth interactions(Cogent Social Sciences, 2024) Tetteh, P.K.; Kankam, P.K.This study investigated how youth in Community 8 in Tema, Ghana, used social media and how that affected their interpersonal and communication skills. The study used a combined framework of the Social Learning Theory and Media Richness Theory, as well as an exploratory descriptive design and a qualitative technique, to investigate how youth in Ghana’s Tema Community 8 perceive and use media. Thematic analysis was used to identify the main themes and patterns in the data acquired from a sample of 16 youths between the ages of 15 and 25 using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observation. Based on the findings of the study, for young people, social media is the preferred method of contact over face-to-face encounters. Some individuals believed that a more deliberate balance between digital and bodily interactions was necessary. When it comes to effects on the ability to communicate face-to-face, there is a reduction in abilities but some apparent advances in expressiveness. Comparing platforms, advantages included increased networks and innovation, but overuse led to social anxiety and distraction. The study demonstrates the need for parental mediation, digital literacy programs that enable youth to use technology intentionally and responsibly, partnerships between legislators, policymakers, and technology companies, and guidance and interventions to help young people be able to balance offline interactions with online interactions.Item Change Management in Libraries: The Case of the University of Ghana Library System (UGLS)(Library Leadership & Management, 2022) Dadzie, P.S.; Mensah, M.In 2018, the University of Ghana Library System (UGLS) experienced an unprecedented rotation of staff within its main library and satellite libraries. The changes were long overdue, as the regular rotation of staff by the Human Resource and Organizational Development Directorate somehow, never affected library personnel. Fifty (50) Junior and senior library staff who had been in one position for more than a decade, were rotated within the UGLS. This paper reflects on how the change was achieved, the pre- and post-interviews of staff involved, and lessons learned one year later. Findings emphasize the value of communication and the structured process and transparency to make the change easier and implementation smoother. The paper concludes that regular rotation of staff and the management of such change are significant for the development of the UGLS and for the university as a whole. Recommendations for libraries in Ghana and in Africa embarking on similar staff rotation are captured in the paper.Item Use of electronic resources in research and learning in a health sciences library in Ghana: An analysis of awareness and perception of users(Information Development, 2022) Ankamah, S.; Gyesi, K.; Amponsah, V.University libraries play a critical role by facilitating the use of their electronic resources and facilities. for students’ learning and research activities. Health and medical students and professionals are expected to use the electronic resources provided for their academic and research work. This study, therefore, seeks to investigate the acceptance and utilization of electronic resources in research and learning among users of the College of Health Sciences Library of the University of Ghana. The study employed a survey research design along with a quantitative approach to collect data from 128 respondents. A questionnaire was used for data collection, and it was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22 (SPSS) software. The study found that a majority of the respondents were aware of the electronic resources provided by the library, and they used various types of e-resources such as Google, Wikipedia, ScienceDirect and PubMed electronic sources. Moreover, the study found that the computer literacy skills of users have a positive relationship with their awareness of e-resources. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between gender and the perceived usefulness of the use of e-resources. Last but not least, the high cost of personal internet data and low internet bandwidth were challenges encountered by most of the respondents when accessing e-resources. The study made the following recommendations, among others: regular training on the use of e-resources, and libraries must collaborate effectively with lecturers to create awareness in the lecture hall and also some of the e-resources should be part of teaching instruction.Item The role of community radio in information dissemination towards youth development in Ghana(Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 2022) Kankam, P.K.; Attuh, S.Purpose: Community radio attempts to place the power of communication in the hands of community members, particularly the youth, so that they can create and broadcast materials that address local community issues. The purpose of the study is, therefore, to look into the potential impacts of community radio and the function it plays in youth development. Design/methodology/approach – This study employed a qualitative research approach to investigate the role of community radio in information dissemination towards youth development in Ghana. Two community radio stations were selected for the study, and through the use of semi-structured interview, qualitative data were collected from 42 participants, comprising two programme managers and four radio producers and 36 youth. The qualitative research approach enabled in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of the study. Findings – This study found that both community radio stations aired youth-centred programmes that were beneficial to the development of the youth within the stations’ coverage communities. The results further reveal that community radio offers the opportunity and platform for the youth to engage in political authorities for development and also entertain themselves. Originality/value: The authors consider this study original both in conceptualization and design. The main question being interrogated stems from identified gaps in the literature, and this study intends to fill these knowledge gaps. This study’s originality also stems from the fact that there is a paucity of information on the subject of study in the context of GhanaItem Management of Information Systems in Academic Libraries in Ghana(Technical Services Quarterly, 2022) Ocloo, P.E.D.; King, L.Academic libraries in Ghana have adopted information systems for library functions and services. This study sought to find out how academic libraries in Ghana manage the information systems they use. Interviews and a questionnaire were used to solicit responses from nine academic libraries in Ghana. Findings revealed that majority of the libraries studied did not have an Information Systems policy, and staff were mostly not consulted before the installation of the Information Systems.