Library e-resources and services to enable postgraduate studies at The Regional Maritime University (RMU), Ghana

Abstract

The Regional Maritime University (RMU) Ghana, pays between $5,000 and $8,000 in annual subscription for e-resources with the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH) to support postgraduate studies and lecturers. However, statistics from the library and library research rooms indicate very low use of the e-resources by postgraduate students and lecturers. This study is therefore set to address the problem of low patronage of the e-resources. The study aimed at finding what library e-resources and services could be provided by the RMU library to enable postgraduate studies. The main research tool that was used to collect data was a questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. The total population for this study was 25 postgraduate students and five lecturers. Thirty (30) copies of the questionnaire were distributed to postgraduate students and their lecturers at the department of ports and shipping administration with a response rate of 66.66%. Undergraduate students were excluded from this study. The study revealed that the RMU library has enough e-resources to support both academic and research work and this is known to the majority (75%) of the respondents who use them occasionally. The main reasons for the occasional use of the e-resources were lack of user-education, user-training and lack of off-campus access to fully put the resources to maximum use. Apart from the study suggesting an extensive user education and awareness creation initiative, it also recommends the rolling out of new user services to enhance usage of the e-resources.