EVALUATING THE REASONS FOR THE NON-PARTICIPATION OF KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTIONAL REPOSITORY BY ACADEMIC STAFF
FRANK MENSAH BONSU *
Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, KNUST, Ghana
HARRY BARTON ESSEL
Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, KNUST, Ghana
ERNEST OFORI
Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, KNUST, Ghana
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Since the establishment of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology’s Institutional Repository (KNUSTSpace), no appraisal has been done to evaluate lecturers’ reasoning for non- use of their repository. This study, therefore, seeks to evaluate the rationale for the non-use of KNUST Institutional Repository by academic staff of the faculty of Art by offering sufficient statistical and evaluative data to buttress its efficacy and usefulness. The descriptive survey method was employed to carry out the study. Lecturers in KNUST recognize KNUSTSpace but with little or no enthusiasm to use it. Majority indicated that lack of adequate information on how to submit contents is the reason for not uploading their research works to the University Institutional repository. Lecturer solely depended on publishers to handle the publicity of their research output for them. Among other reasons given by the lecturers for not using the KNUSTSpace included the thought of IR being used for only theses and dissertations, lecturer not having adequate publications to deposit on the repository, the sale of lecture notes to students and, fear of copyright and plagiarism.
Keywords: Institutional repository, KNUSTSpace, scholarly resources, academic research