An examination of electronic resource management in academic libraries in Ghana through the Techniques of Electronic Resource Management (TERMS) framework

The management of electronic resources (ERs) has become a core function of academic libraries and researchers have revealed how academic libraries in developed countries are struggling to successfully manage these resources. The scholarly literature on the management of ERs in libraries has predominantly focused on developed country context. Little research has been conducted on how academic libraries in developing countries are managing their online databases. This paper presents the findings of a study that examines ER workflows and the extent to which ER workflows or the practices of managing online databases in academic libraries in Ghana compare with the Techniques of Electronic Resource Management (TERMS) framework. Data were collected from library staff in two public and two private universities, and consortium executives using semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that although efforts had been made to follow standard procedures, some components of the TERMS framework were absent in the ER workflow in both public and private case libraries while other aspects of the workflow were responsibilities of parties external to the libraries. Opportunities exist for improving ERM practices in academic libraries in Ghana. In particular, by involving users in the selection and assessment of ERs, increasing promotional activities, and improving the documentation of ER workflow. The findings also revealed interconnections between various stages of TERMS. The findings provide a basis from which academic libraries can improve their practices and extends the application and revision of the TERMS framework to an African context.