Changes in perceptions and motivation of archives and library students during training at the University of Ghana

Abstract

Changes in the entry-level perceptions and motivations of sub-degree diploma and postgraduate degree students after one-year training at the Department of Library and Archival Studies (DLAS), University of Ghana were analyzed. Students' responses to items in a structured questionnaire at the start of their programmes were compared to their responses to the items a year after using paired t-test methods. Among the key findings was that both archives and library students improved their perceptions of the library profession and careers significantly. Library students improved from an initially much lower perception of their profession and careers compared to what archives students had of theirs. Archives students improved their perceptions of the library profession and careers most probably because the joint courses of the parallel archives and library programmes of the DLAS enabled them to increase their awareness of the essence and importance of the library profession and careers relative to theirs. In view of the increasing convergence of the information professions, and the many joint courses of the DLAS programmes, it is recommended that the DLAS might consider introducing some flexibility into the curricula of its two-year diploma programmes in archives and library studies to enable students who so desire to switch from archives to library specialization or vice versa after the first year.