Research Articles (Library)

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Browsing Research Articles (Library) by Author "Barfi, Faustina Kyerewaa"

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    Advancing Innovation and Technology through Patent Information: A Case Study of Accra Polytechnic
    (Information and Knowledge Management, 2014) Barfi, Faustina Kyerewaa; Kotey, Frederick Ashaley
    This paper presents the outcome of a research carried out at the Accra Polytechnic on the role patent information plays in promoting innovation and technology. The study highlighted on some of the usefulness of patent information and explored its efficacy in teaching and learning. The objectives for the development of polytechnic education in Ghana is to create the manpower need for innovations and also to provide the technical expertise on the job market by ways of modifying and implementing ideas.The outcome of the study revealed that, majority of the students had no knowledge about patent Information and those who had knowledge about it find it difficult accessing and contributing to it. Though the various departments of the polytechnic invent ideas, patenting them becomes difficult.The study responses further indicated that, the aim of the polytechnic is to support research to increase in the availability of scientific and technical information yet the diverse ways of innovation and inventions has not gain the needed support. The study revealed that, the use of patent information in teaching and learning would foster development.Despite the enormous advantages patent plays in technology, the study has buttressed a research report by the World Intellectual Property Organization WIPO (2010) that, Africa is the least continent that utilizes patent information and this has resulted in a decline in innovation and invention. Further, the limited usage of patent information among polytechnics students and the idea of intellectual property were new to them.The study adopted the simple random sampling approach, using the structured questionnaires
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    Contemporary Roles of Librarians in Navigating and Addressing Academic Research Ethical Dilemmas: The Technical Universities in Perspective
    (Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Ghana, 2018-07) Barfi, Faustina Kyerewaa; Alemna, Anaba A.; Adjei, Emmanuel; Brew, Edwin Mends
    The polytechnics in Ghana are currently been upgraded to Technical University status. In view of this, academic research and, for that matter, compliance to research ethics has become imperative in these institutions notwithstanding concerns on ranking, funding, open scholarship, virtual research, and reputation building have also come into play. Academic writing is guided by laid down rules, standards and codes of conduct in order to uphold intellectual integrity and honesty. As such, behavioural attitudes, the ‘‘duty-based theory which complements the need for compliance to academic research policies, rules and codes of conducts has been espoused. The researchers explored the librarians’ role in support of the Technical University new road map. This is an exploratory study that adopted the quantitative method. Senior Polytechnic Librarians whose institutions had undergone the transition became the resultant respondents. A questionnaire was the instrument used for the data collection. Twenty-six responses were analysed using SPSS to ascertain the results Findings revealed a number of roles deemed traditional and contemporary. Although the librarians play crucial roles by instilling academic discipline, emerging roles and use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications were minimal. The study revealed plagiarism, fabrication, poor record keeping, honorary authorship, conflict of interest, duplication particularly of dissertations as some of the dilemmas of scholarly communication. Other delinquencies were data insecurity, social network abuse and issues on e-waste. It was discovered that integration of ICT has impacted on academic research and for that matter on ethics. The benefits of adhering to ethical standards promote integrity in research, impact on institution’s reputation, ranking, funding, transparency amongst others. Innovative applications, interactive and collaborative approaches, policy and compliance, sensitisation and education amongst others were recommended as remedies to manage and curtail the menace of violations of research ethics. The study ascertained the degree of awareness of these dilemmas among the librarians. It postulated vigorous ethical scrutiny and research enquiry to ensure that research findings improve human conditions both present and future. As Librarians our traditional roles are currently embedded with the new and challenging tasks.
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    Resource Sharing among Polytechnic Libraries in Ghana
    (International Journal of Technology and Management Research, 2012) Barfi, Faustina Kyerewaa
    The paper presents a synthesis on resource sharing among polytechnic libraries in Ghana. It explores how resource sharing would provide opportunities for the consolidation of strengths and minimize weakness among the polytechnic libraries. The main objective of resource sharing is to maximise the availability of materials and services and to minimize expenses and duplication. The paper further exposed some of the factors which make resource sharing imperative among the polytechnic libraries. These concerns include the proliferation of knowledge on the World Wide Web, issues of distance education, open access and instruction service. It also highlighted some of the resources that could be shared among the polytechnic libraries which include personnel, electronic service, tools, professional activities, policies, etc. Finally techniques that would foster resource sharing activities among the polytechnic libraries were discussed and these include communication, increase in the use of information communication technology, resource mobilisation and capacity building on the part of librarians.
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    The Role of the Technical Universities’ Librarians in the Generation and Management of Technical Research Data (TRD) to Advance Inventions, Innovation and Commercialization in Ghana
    (Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), 2021) Barfi, Faustina Kyerewaa; Sackey, Kofi-Agyir
    The act of the Technical Universities (TU) in Ghana mandates publications which promote invention and innovations. The study examined the role of librarians in the generation and management of technical research data to promote invention, innovation and commercialisation. This is an exploration study which adopted quantitative approach to present its findings. All the librarians from the Ten (10) Technical Universities became the resultant population. Questionnaire was used to collect the data. Emails and mobile app on monkey survey were used to reach respondents. Majority of the Librarians attested that management of technical research data play a key role in advancing invention and innovations. The study discovered some of the sources and varying formats of such data to include ‘’workshop report, laboratory recording and discoveries, prototypes from engineering practical centres, speeches, patterns, amongst others. Data formats encompassed manuscript, photography, interviews, videos, audios and artefacts. The study revealed minimal integration of Technical Research Data (TRD) management in the research strategic objectives of the selected Technical Universities in Ghana. Majority of the respondents (70%) indicated inadequate infrastructure and resources needed to generate and store such data. Inadequate expertise recorded (60%). Lack of policies on research data recorded (40%), poor collaboration (30%), and inadequate funding for training and logistics (20%). In addressing the identified challenges, provision of infrastructure and resources represented (38%). Funding (31%), capacity building on the part of the librarians represented (12%). Deepening collaboration on research data with stakeholders recorded (13%). Further consideration were the establishment of a centralised repository on technical research data among the Technical Universities instead of working in silos. Findings from the study also revealed the need to revamp the curriculum of the Library and Information science schools on emerging fields. Again the librarians are to allocate resources, services and infrastructure which distinctively support research, teaching, and training.