Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Notes on Contributors
- Introduction
- 1 Digital Gap in Global and African Countries: Inequalities of Opportunities and COVID-19 Crisis Impact
- 2 e-Skills and Wages in Tunisia
- 3 Digital Literacy in Africa: A Case Study of Kenya National Library Services, Thika
- 4 Digital Transformation in City of Johannesburg Library Services through the Provision of e-Learning Services
- 5 National Library of Nigeria and the Promotion of Digital Equity
- 6 Driving Digital Literacy: An Assessment of Ghana Library Authority’s Interventions against the COVID-19 Impact on Library Services
- 7 Impact of COVID-19 on Digital Divide: Perspectives of an Educator and a Librarian in Botswana
- 8 Digital Literacy Skills Investigation among Third-Year Bachelor of Library and Information Science Students of Makerere University
- 9 ICT Training for Children with Hearing Impairment
- 10 The Role of Communities in Driving the Acquisition of Digital Literacy Skills in the 21st Century
- 11 Digital Literacy, Creativity, Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination in the 21st Century
- 12 Underscoring the Value of Digital Literacy as a Tool for Reducing Unemployment and Enhancing Workplace Productivity
- 13 Backward Design Modelling of Digital Literacy in Africa
- Index
6 - Driving Digital Literacy: An Assessment of Ghana Library Authority’s Interventions against the COVID-19 Impact on Library Services
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 November 2022
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Notes on Contributors
- Introduction
- 1 Digital Gap in Global and African Countries: Inequalities of Opportunities and COVID-19 Crisis Impact
- 2 e-Skills and Wages in Tunisia
- 3 Digital Literacy in Africa: A Case Study of Kenya National Library Services, Thika
- 4 Digital Transformation in City of Johannesburg Library Services through the Provision of e-Learning Services
- 5 National Library of Nigeria and the Promotion of Digital Equity
- 6 Driving Digital Literacy: An Assessment of Ghana Library Authority’s Interventions against the COVID-19 Impact on Library Services
- 7 Impact of COVID-19 on Digital Divide: Perspectives of an Educator and a Librarian in Botswana
- 8 Digital Literacy Skills Investigation among Third-Year Bachelor of Library and Information Science Students of Makerere University
- 9 ICT Training for Children with Hearing Impairment
- 10 The Role of Communities in Driving the Acquisition of Digital Literacy Skills in the 21st Century
- 11 Digital Literacy, Creativity, Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination in the 21st Century
- 12 Underscoring the Value of Digital Literacy as a Tool for Reducing Unemployment and Enhancing Workplace Productivity
- 13 Backward Design Modelling of Digital Literacy in Africa
- Index
Summary
Abstract
With the unforeseen challenges the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) posed to library services, libraries around the world have transformed the modes by which services are provided to maximize the usage of library resources and services and libraries’ overall contribution to the improvement of literacy. The Ghana Library Authority, in pursuit of its digital literacy drive, introduced literacy initiatives such as Read2Skill, Edmodo, the Digital Library App, automation of the issuing of ISBNs and ISSNs and many others to ensure that access to information goes on through online platforms. The sudden shift of all engagements and interactions to online spaces raised concerns about the preparedness of libraries that have not yet explored the world of digitization in the provision of services, and the challenges associated with working with underserved communities. However, libraries have risen above these concerns to ensure continuity of services to mitigate the effects of the crisis on education. This chapter provides an overview of the impact of the pandemic on library services in Ghana and of the innovative approaches employed to support dissemination of information and opportunities to access reading materials, as well as online teaching and learning, since March 2020.
Keywords:Digital literacy, innovative services, COVID-19.
Introduction
Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) is a state agency under the Ministry of Education with oversight responsibility for public libraries in Ghana. The agency is mandated to establish, equip, manage and maintain public libraries across the country. One of the major responsibilities of GhLA is to provide access to reading and learning materials to inculcate lifelong learning habits among citizens that will help to improve the country's learning outcomes. The organization does this by working jointly with other state actors.
In the space of three years (2017–20) GhLA has increased its library footprint in Ghana from 61 to 90. As part of its core functions, it provides services such as book lending, research support, mobile library, book box, bindery, cataloguing and processing of books, acquisition and distribution of books, software development, a digital library service, conference venue hiring, issuance of International Standard Book Number (ISBN), International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN) and International Standard Music Numbers (ISMN) and many other functions.
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- Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2022