The role of the academic library in supporting distance education through the use of information and communication technology : the Open University of Tanzania

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the role of the academic library in supporting distance education through the use of information and communication technology, focusing on the Open University of Tanzania. The study entailed a number of objectives: To examine the information and computer mediated library services needed by the distant learners at the Open University of Tanzania Library, to find out the perceived quality of services offered by the Open University of Tanzania Library to support distance education through the use of ICT, to find out the extent to which the academic libraries embrace/apply ICT to offer library services, to examine the challenges encountered by the Open University of Tanzania Library to support distance education through the use of ICT and to suggest strategies that should be adopted to overcome the challenges at the Open University of Tanzania Library to support distance education through the use of ICT. As regards data collection, questionnaires and focus group interviews were used. The study used a sample of 100 out of 472 students from the faculty of education and 5 librarians out of 15 librarians. This included a total of 105 out of 487. The respondents to be selected included undergraduate and post graduate students. Data analysis involved a set of qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data obtained from the study was coded and grouped into themes pertaining to the study questions, ideas, opinions and recommendations by the individuals. Findings indicate that there are issues that need to be addressed as regards the effective use of the internet in accessing information, the improvement of ICT related infrastructures, space in the library, and effective implementation of the policies in place to address the challenging issues. Moreover, findings suggest that there is a need to raise computer literacy among library users as well as encouraging inter-library loan among the academic libraries.