Personal Security and Safety In Academic Libraries: A Case Study of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Library, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

This case study aims at a critical examination of the security risks to which staff of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Library are exposed and measures put in place to deal with them. It also assesses the personal safety measures already in place with the objective of identifying their adequacy. Literature on personal security and safety in academic libraries is reviewed. Questionnaire, interview, and personal observation were used for the collection of data. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS software. Eighty-four of 124 responses representing 67.7% were received from the staff of the KNUST Main Library for the study. The study revealed that just like any other workers of a service organization, the staff of the KNUST Main Library are not completely free from threats to their personal security and safety. Efforts are made to address the shortcomings in these security and safety measures to enable KNUST Library staff tp work in an atmosphere devoid of risks and uncertainties.