Access to and use of libraries among students with special needs at the university of education, winneba and kumasi polytechnic, Kumasi

The study sought to investigate access to and use of libraries among students with special needs at two tertiary institutions in Ghana. They are the University of Education, Winneba and Kumasi Polytechnic, Kumasi. A total of 40 participants comprising 20 students with special needs and 20 library staff were selected for the study. Questionnaire was used as the main research instrument for gathering data. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample the students with special needs and the library staff for the study. The study revealed that though both institutions’ libraries have students with special needs who sometimes use the library, there are no specialised facilities in terms of equipment and reading materials for them. Also, the libraries do not have a policy which takes care of the needs of these groups of students. Finally, the staff who assist these students with special needs are not specially trained to assist them. Based on the problems identified above, it was recommended among others that the library must have separate rooms stocked with modern equipment and other materials for use by students with special needs. Also staff who assist these students with special needs must be given some training to be able to offer better services to them. Finally, there should be a policy governing access and use of the library of which students and staff would be educated on.