Contextual Factors Influencing the Implementation of Radio Frequency Identification Technology in Academic Libraries in Ghana

Alfred Asirifi Adu-Bobi; Eric Boamah

doi:10.25159/2663-659X/6518

Authors

Alfred Asirifi Adu-Bobi Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3153-3515
Eric Open Polytechnic of New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0343-9188

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2663-659X/6518

Keywords:

RFID technology, academic libraries, tertiary institutions, library systems, challenges, Ghana

Abstract

The implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in libraries is common across the globe, and many academic libraries, especially in technologically advanced countries, are using it. The use of RFID increases the efficiency of collection management and security in academic libraries. In Ghana, academic libraries, especially those at major tertiary institutions, are the most vibrant in the library system; they provide access to subscription-based online resources, including research databases and ebook collections, in addition to physical books and journals. The fast-increasing enrolment numbers in Ghanaian tertiary institutions translates into an increased number of academic library users, making it difficult for library staff to manage libraries effectively. The amount of work carried out by librarians in these academic libraries has created a need for implementing technology, for example RFID, that can promote efficiency and effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine the contextual factors influencing the implementation of RFID technology in academic libraries in Ghana’s tertiary institutions. A qualitative approach was used following a single-case study method, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. We conducted interviews with 18 senior academic librarians, covering six academic libraries comprising three traditional university libraries, two technical university libraries and one college of education library in Ghana. We found that no academic library in Ghana had implemented RFID at the time of this study. Several challenges, including a low budget, lack of skilled personnel, weak coordination between user departments and procurement units, were identified. The study suggested that if these challenges were handled effectively and efficiently, implementing RFID in Ghana’s academic libraries could be successful and beneficial.

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Author Biography

Eric, Open Polytechnic of New Zealand

Eric Boamah is a lecturer in Information and Library Studies at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. Eric is also the president of the Archives and Records Association of New Zealand (ARANZ) and a member of the International Review Group (IRG) of New Zealand. He was also a teaching fellow at the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand in 2017. He was a flying reporter of the International Council on Archives (ICA) in 2012. He is currently the web administrator and co-secretary of the ICA Section for Archival Education and Training (SAE).
Eric obtained his first degree in Information Studies with Linguistics from the University of Ghana in 2005, with a first-class honours. He received a European Union Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to complete his master's in Digital Library Learning, with a consortium of three European universities: Oslo University College, Norway; Tallinn University, Estonia: and Parma University, Italy, in 2009. In the same year, Eric received a Vice-Chancellor Strategic Research Scholarship to undertake his PhD at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Eric's PhD study explored contextual factors influencing the management and preservation of digital cultural heritage resources in Ghana, which falls under the broader area of digital preservation and cultural heritage. His research interest is in the subjects of Cultural Heritage Information Management, Records Management, Information Culture, Digital Libraries and Information Literacy.