EFFECTIVE LIBRARY SUPPORT FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS; STRATEGIES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Study’s Background
The internet’s technological revolution has permeated most tertiary institutions and is propelling the concept of online education in both developed and developing countries (Grandi, 2003). Education has a significant impact on the development of nations. The provision of library and information services and resources is one of the most important support systems influencing the quality of education provided.
According to Watson (2003), “DE has revolutionized and democratized the delivery and accessibility of education, as well as changed how libraries provide critical support services, such as library and information services.” There is an urgent need to implement learning support services to significantly aid distance education curricula.
Among the many learning support services available, Cox (2004) emphasized that library services have always played an important role in the expansion of distance learning programs in higher education institutions. Just as library systems provide services to regular students, it is the responsibility of university libraries to provide equal services to distance learners.
Students from the main stream benefit significantly from library services such as borrowing library documents, locating materials using OPAC, and searching for information using research and knowledge commons facilities. Other services include photocopying, reference, and bibliographic searches (Cann, 2009; Association of College and Research Libraries – ACRL, 2008).
Taking a cue from the preceding, the ACRL (2008) states that “every student, faculty member, administrator, staff member, or any other member of an institution of higher education, regardless of where enrolled or where located in affiliation with the institution, is entitled to the library services and resources of that institution, including direct communication with the appropriate library personnel.”
As a result, academic libraries must meet the information and research needs of all of these constituents, no matter where they are. The underpinning and unwavering conviction of the Standards for Distance Learning Library Services is the principle of access entitlement as applied to individuals at a distance.”
DE has had a profound impact not only on the discipline of education, but also on the library services that support it in Europe and Africa (Watson, 2006). According to Mabawonku (2004), an academic library is the heart of any higher learning institution, promoting the skills of reading/research, inquiry, and independent thinking through the provision of resources to support teaching and learning activities.
It primarily houses information equipment in various formats, such as electronic information sources such as CD-ROM, the internet, and so on. DE students rely heavily on library services for assistance. Caspers et al. (2001) agree that library support is an important component of distance learning.
According to Niemi, Ehrhard, and Neeley (2008), distance learners’ library needs are not exceptional; they have similar library and information needs as regular students; however, Rowland and Rubbert (2001) reported that university libraries did not meet the specific information needs of distance students.
Apart from how library services are accessed, requested, and delivered, the same library resources are required, the same questions are asked, and the same level of service is expected (Rodrigues, 1996); and they expect the same level of library service as that provided to their peers on campus (Riggs, 1997).
Though successful direct access is defined by flexibility, dependability, availability, usability, portability, efficiency, and service capability (Sacchanand, 2002), effective and appropriate services to distance learning communities may differ from, but must be equivalent to, those provided on a traditional campus (ACRL, 1998).
This paper investigates the promotion of equal access to library materials such as books to distance learners in higher learning institutions, with a focus on the University of Ghana, Legon.
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EFFECTIVE LIBRARY SUPPORT FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS; STRATEGIES
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