Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which individual factors such as academic tasks, preference for print sources and information skills influence distance learners’ use of digital libraries in a teacher distance education programme at the University of Education, Winneba in Ghana. The population of the study consisted of 1,834 distance students and from a sample size of 641 distance learners spread across three distance study centers, namely, Winneba (247), Kumasi (276) and Asante-Mampong (118). A total of 453 (70.67 percent) distance learners, selected randomly, completed a 31-item questionnaire. In addition, 30 distance education tutors, four coordinators and four librarians were purposively selected to participate in the study. The findings showed that academic tasks of distance learners did not require them to use digital library resources, which resulted in low or no academic use of digital libraries. The findings also pointed to a high preference for print resources among distance learners which resulted in the low use of digital library resources. Finally, it was noted that even though most of the distance learners possessed basic ICT skills, this did not result in their of use of digital library resources. To improve digital library use in distance education, it is recommended that academic librarians seek and foster collaboration in teaching information literacy and library instruction in distance education, an approach which must be backed by a policy that mandates the use of (digital) library scholarly resources in teaching and learning in distance education. It is also recommended that the Centre for Distance Education and the University Library collaborate to offer training programmes in specific digital resources and general information literacy courses for all distance education stakeholders in the university to boost digital library use.

中文翻译：

---

影响加纳远程教育中数字图书馆使用的因素

摘要这项研究的目的是探讨在加纳温尼巴教育大学的教师远程教育计划中，诸如学术任务，对印刷资源的偏爱和信息技能等个体因素在多大程度上影响远程学习者对数字图书馆的使用。 。该研究的人口包括1,834名远程学生，来自641个远程学习者的样本量分布于三个远程学习中心，即Winneba（247），Kumasi（276）和Asante-Mampong（118）。随机选择了453名（70.67％）远程学习者填写了31项问卷。此外，有目的地选择了30名远程教育导师，4名协调员和4名图书管理员参加这项研究。调查结果表明，远程学习者的学术任务不要求他们使用数字图书馆资源，这导致对数字图书馆的学术使用率较低或没有。调查结果还指出，远程学习者非常喜欢印刷资源，这导致数字图书馆资源的使用率低。最后，要指出的是，尽管大多数远程学习者都具备基本的ICT技能，但这并未导致他们使用数字图书馆资源。为了改善远程教育中数字图书馆的使用，建议大学图书馆员寻求并促进远程教育教学中信息素养和图书馆教学的合作，这种方法必须得到授权使用（数字）图书馆学术资源的政策的支持。在远程教育的教学中。