Experience and Satisfaction of Using the Commons as a Digital Learning Hub in Three Academic Libraries in Ghana

The commons emerge in academic libraries by introducing physical and virtual spaces as a high digital learning and research hub. Digital facilities, such as computers, devices, software, applications, high-speed internet connectivity, electronic resources, technology expertise, and user support services, are provided to meet the technology-changing needs of the academic library user. This study investigated user experience and satisfaction using the commons as a digital learning and research hub in three academic libraries in Ghana and ascertained how the commons users apply digital skills in using the commons. The study focused on undergraduates, postgraduates, faculty, and staff as users of the various commons types; learning, research, and knowledge commons in three academic libraries in Ghana. The pragmatist approach was used, and the positivist and constructivist paradigms were combined for the mixed methods. Questionnaires were administered to 157 sample size of commons users and conducted observations on the commons facilities and activities. The descriptive design was used with inferential statistics and a hypotheses test. Statistical Package Service Solutions (SPSS) version 27.0and AMOS version 23 were used in the data analysis for the CFA, and the results were presented in tables and figures with descriptive statistics. The findings show that levels of availability of learning resources are significantly related to users' experience, use, and user satisfaction. Levels of availability of support services are significantly related to users' experience and digital skills of use. Levels of digital skills are significantly related to levels of use. All the variables are related, reliable, and valid, and provide a possible good correlation and support findings of the hypotheses test. The observation result confirmed an appreciable level of user patronage of the facilities. Nevertheless, there is a need for improvements in subscriptions to learning resources, support services, and maintenance of the facilities. Also, user skills need improvement. This research adds to the research knowledge in the field and recommends continuous awareness creation, training, orientation, increased subscriptions to learning resources, and regular user surveys to ascertain user needs satisfaction.