The Uptake Of Institutional Repository: The Case Of University Of Ghana

ABSTRACT The study purposed to investigate the experience, contribution and opinions of users of institutional repository (IR) developed at University of Ghana (UG) and also find the challenges facing the institutional repositories (called UGSpace) at the University of Ghana. This study is conducted using a qualitative research approach and the case study research technique. The data collection tool was an unstructured interview guide. The study found out that most of the respondents were unaware of the IR. Others that were aware hardly contribute their research materials to the IR. Respondents learnt of the IR service provided by UG through workshop on the theme “Providing practical guidance for effective digital collection programme” organized by University of Ghana; whilst others through weblinks provided on institutions’ websites. Those that contributed felt it was a "simple and quick approach to impart and disseminate research results". Most of the respondents were eager to reserve symposium/meeting/class papers. The most imperative purpose behind contribution to the IR was observed to be conservation of records for future use and preservation. Peer review was especially adequate and accepted as a mechanism for quality control. More than half of the respondents wanted to give open access with no obstruction for others use in the open repository. The limitation of the study was that only users of University of Ghana institutional repositories were studied.