Abstract:
School libraries are key agents in the educational system in Ghana. Therefore, this study
sought to assess the impact of school libraries on students’ academic success in Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District of Northern Ghana. The descriptive survey design was employed to determine the level of impact on the various variables deplored for the study. The population for this study was made up of Circuit Supervisors, teachers and students
within the study area. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select three junior
high schools with libraries and another set of three without libraries. Krejcie and Morgan
(1970) table was used to select (150) students from a population of (240). Simple random
sampling technique was used to proportionally select 25 respondents from each of the six
schools. The instruments used for the study includes questionnaire, interviews,
observation and existing document analysis. Key informants of 10 were interviewed and
a visit to each of the schools included in this study was undertaken to observe how
libraries utilisation could enhance students’ academic achievement. Paired t-test
calculated at (p≤ 0.05) was used to determine differences in students’ academic
achievement. The results indicated a positive significant difference in the academic
achievement of students in schools with libraries and those without libraries in all the
items that were investigated. The study recommends for a policy of ‘one rural school, one
library’ stocked with relevant reading materials and the setting up of ‘Reading Clubs’ in
rural schools in order to sustain students’ interest in reading.
