A digital library for Mengo Senior School

Abstract

This study sought to design a digital library for Mengo Senior School (MSS). The study was guided by five specific objectives; to find out the categories of information resources kept in Mengo Senior School (MSS) library, to examine the challenges encountered by MSS library users in the access and utilization of the school library, to find out the requirements needed to design a digital library for MSS, to identify the steps that should be taken to design a digital library for MSS and to design a digital library for MSS. The study adopted a Mixed-Methods Research (MMR) approach using a descriptive research design. While study population was three thousand (3000), a random sampling technique was used to select a research sample size of ninety-six (96) students and three (3) librarians. Interviews, questionnaires were used as data collection instruments. Narrative analysis and Microsoft excel were used as data analysis techniques, bar and pie charts were used for data presentation in this study. The study revealed that all information materials in the MSS library are in print and can be categorized as reference and non-reference materials. Underutilization of library materials, lack of adequate staff, limited access to reading materials and limited reading space and shelf space were identified as challenges encountered by MSS library users in the access and utilization of the school library. Security, user friendliness, compatibility, authority given to librarians, ease to search for information, ability to download information were indicated as the requirements for setting up a digital library for MSS. Steps to be taken to design a digital library for MSS included procuring digitization equipment, acquisition and installation of scanning software, organizing materials to be scanned, scanning, importing the scanned digital materials into a suitable digital library software, creating user accounts and lastly publishing the digital library onto the internet. The study concluded that MSS was in urgent need of digitalizing the current library to enhance access and utilization of library resources and therefore designed a digital library for MSS using Greenstone software 3.0. The study also recommended that: the proposed digital library should be implemented, supporting the digital library to co-exist with the current library, increasing the library funding, setting up a library committee, enhancing the acquisition of electronic resources and conducting in-house training of students on effectively accessing and utilizing the school library.