A digital library for Bilal Islamic Secondary School, Bwaise, Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to design a digital library for Bilal Islamic School (BISS) Library. The objectives of the were to; assess the information needs of library users, examine electronic information resources that suites the needs of the Library Users, identify the challenges in accessing information resources and design a digital library that will act as a single point of access and gateway to the digital information for Bilal Islamic Secondary School. A case study research design was employed while adopting both qualitative and quantitative research approaches of data collection. Data was collected using face-to-face interview, questionnaire and observation methods. Purposive sampling method was used to select 84 respondents who participated in the study. The needs of the library users for information resources in the library were; revision purposes complete their assignments, and exercises left, to get up dated with the current news. The study found out that the different information resources accessible in BISS Library were; text books, past papers and questions banks, use handouts and pamphlets, maps and photographs and electronic resources. The challenges included; unreliable electricity, poor network connectivity, storage problems, unawareness about the existing sources of information, inadequate support staff, lack of the up to date information in some fields of specialization, inadequate information resources, there is delay in delivery of current awareness information via emails, some times information is not readily available. The solutions to the challenges were; training of the library users on the use of ICTs, regular acquisition of the up to date information resources, increasing the funds for the library, and using social media. The study concluded that implementation of the digital library for Bilal Islamic School would help librarians alert the library users on the new information resources acquired in the school library. The study recommended Bilal Islamic School that it should implement a digital library in order to promote the users access to library services.