ICT services to students in the greater Accra region of Ghana. An initiative of the Ghana Library Board (GhLA) towards the development agenda
| Pages | 393-405 |
| Published date | 10 July 2017 |
| Date | 10 July 2017 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-06-2017-0052 |
| Author | Patience Emefa Dzandza |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library & information services |
ICT services to students in the
greater Accra region of Ghana
An initiative of the Ghana Library Board
(GhLA) towards the development agenda
Patience Emefa Dzandza
Department of Information Studies,
University of Ghana School of Information and Communication Studies,
Legon, Ghana
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to describe an information and communication technology (ICT) training
programme in the centrallibrary in Ghana, to discuss the benefits of the programme and the challengesfaced
by those deliveringit and to relate this work to the broader development goalsof the UN and the Africa Union
(AU), offeringsome recommendations on how the programme can be made more effective.
Design/methodology/approach –The study adopted a qualitative approach to help determine the
modality of the programmeto two junior high schools ( JHSs) in the area that benefitweekly from the training
programmes offered at the ICT corner. Interviewswere conducted with two staff of the ICT corner to help
gather information on the services that the ICT corner offersand the challenges with the programme; ICT
teachers anda library coordinator of the two JHSs were also interviewedto find out about their opinion on the
programme and the impact they think the programmecan make to help achieve the agenda of equipping the
youth with ICT skills.Focus group discussions were held with two classes fromthe JHSs for them to indicate
the ICT skills they haveacquired from the training and what they can use the skills to achieve. The researcher
also witnessed two training sessions and observed daily activities of the ICT corner and the method of
instruction.
Findings –The study broughtto fore the contribution GhLA is making to help Ghana achieve Agenda2063
and 2030 by helpingstudents acquire basic ICT skills that are motivating them to use computersin their daily
activities.
Originality/value –The study highlighted the importance of libraries in the twenty-first century and
recommendationswere made, among others, that, the facility should be replicatedin all public libraries to be
used by schools that donot have their own ICT lab in Ghana and the library should employ more staff to help
with the training.
Keywords Public libraries, ICT, SDGs, Agenda 2063, Basic schools, Ghana Library Authority
Paper type Case study
Introduction
As Africa and the world at large strive towardsa common aspiration of the developmentof
human and national development, the United Nations (UN) and Africa Union (AU) have
developed agenda 2030 and 2063,respectively, to help achieve the development of the world.
The two agendas aim at empowering people to be able to ensure prosperity and the role of
libraries has become very important. Libraries have contributed significantly towards the
realisation of civilisation across cultures. The role of libraries in achieving the post-
millennium agenda of the AU and UN cannot be ignored. Specific roles have been outlined
for libraries in the developmentagenda of the UN and AU. The UN, for instance, has created
a partnership with IFLA to ensure libraries provide services and programmes, including
ICT services to
students
393
Received13 June 2017
Revised10 July 2017
Accepted10 July 2017
Informationand Learning Science
Vol.118 No. 7/8, 2017
pp. 393-405
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-06-2017-0052
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