Use of Electronic Resources in research and learning in a health sciences library in Ghana: an analysis of awareness and perception of users

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 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 the 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 the 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.

本研究旨在调查加纳大学健康科学学院图书馆用户在科研与学习中对电子资源的接受度与使用情况。本研究采用调查研究设计结合定量研究方法，从128名受访者中收集数据。数据采集采用调查问卷工具，并通过社会科学统计软件包22版（SPSS）完成数据分析。研究结果显示，多数受访者知晓图书馆提供的电子资源，且使用谷歌、维基百科、ScienceDirect、PubMed等各类电子资源。此外，用户的计算机素养与电子资源知晓度呈正相关关系；性别与电子资源使用的感知有用性之间无显著关联。最后，多数受访者在访问电子资源时面临的主要挑战包括个人互联网数据成本高昂以及互联网带宽不足。本研究提出以下建议（包括但不限于）：定期开展电子资源使用培训；图书馆应与任课教师开展有效协作，在课堂中推广电子资源认知；同时应将部分电子资源纳入教学环节。