The Role of Academic Libraries in Facilitating Academic Research - A Case Study of Regional Maritime University, Ghana

ABSTRACT 

The new student-centred paradigm and new learning and teaching approaches have created the need for a re-conceptualisation of the roles and responsibilities of libraries in learning and teaching processes. The university is expanding in terms of admissions and academic programmes. Likewise, information needs of students and lecturers at the university are rapidly changing. In the light of these, academic library of the university is expected to change in line with the growing needs of users. However, what is worrying in current times is that, many are those who use the library for learning centres instead of research centres while others including some lecturers turn to the Internet cafés to seek information for their research works. The study sought to examine the role of the academic library in Regional Maritime University in facilitating research. The study employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods by which data were collected via questionnaire and interviews. The data were collected from 73 students, 1 librarian and 10 lecturers of the Regional Maritime University, Ghana. It was found that university libraries help in providing research materials for researchers; provide access to publishers for faculty journals publishing; increase faculty research productivity; and promote new technologies and new models for scholarly communication. The study recommends that the academic library of the Regional Maritime University should be greatly assisted with adequate resources such funds, logistics and new technologies which would enable the academic library to contribute significantly in facilitating research activities of the lecturers and students as well. The study also recommends that the university should implement adequate electronic databases, internet facilities and other electronic facilities so as to encourage more users to patronise the services of the library.