Management of End-of-life Library Resources in Ghana: Strategies and Sustainability Implications

Academic libraries are home to substantial quantity of books, furniture, and electronic equipment. At a point in time of their lifecycle, these library resources outlive their usefulness and need to be disposed of. In this age of increased sustainability awareness, it has become necessary for individuals and organisations to take into consideration the environmental, economic, and social implications of their product disposal practices. Interestingly, the issue of management of obsolete library resources has received little research attention, though libraries are confronted with these issues. The purpose of this paper therefore is to investigate the management of end-of-life resources in Ghanaian academic libraries. Semi-structured interview was the method for data collection. The findings highlight variety of methods employed by the libraries to dispose of their obsolete materials, the drivers of these methods of disposal, and related environmental implications.