The Ghana Library Authority, established in 1950 as the Ghana Library Board, was the first public library service in sub-Saharan Africa. The public library movement in Ghana began in 1928, as a personal effort of the then Anglican Bishop Orfeur Anglionby of Accra. In 1946, the Aglionby Library Management Committee worked with the British Council Advisory Committee, towards library development in the then Gold Coast.[1] In 2018 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo appointed a Ghanaian Social Entrepreneur, Hayford Siaw as GhLA Chief Executive Officer.[2] In May 2021, the Authority was shortlisted for the LBFInternational Excellence Awards in the 'Library of the Year' Category.[3][4]
The public library movement in Ghana began in 1928, as a personal effort of the then Anglican Bishop Orfeur Anglionby of Accra who succeeded in building a small library at the Bishop's House with book donated by church members in England for reading and borrowing by the public. The work of the Committee resulted in the passing of the Gold Coast Library Board Ordinance Cap 118, in December, 1949, which became operational on 1 January 1950.[5]
It assumed responsibility for the Anglionby Library, which had been started by John Aglionby, the Anglican bishop of Accra, and the British Council's library service led by Eve Evans.It served as a model for other public library services in Africa.[6] The British Council handed over its Librarian, Miss E. J. A. Evans, and a stock of 27,000 books to start the public library service.[7] This volumes of books were housed in a wing of the King George V Memorial Hall which later became the parliament house for the first, second and third republics. The year 1950 was a significant landmark in the history of public library service in Ghana under the Gold Coast Library Board Ordinance cap 118, which was passed by the legislation council in 1949.[8] The Ordinance was later re-enacted as Ghana Library Board Act 372.[citation needed]
This Act charges Ghana Library Authority to establish, equip, manage and maintain public libraries in Ghana; take all such steps as may be necessary to discharge such functions; and to give effect to the principles and provisions of this act.[9] Aside this function, Ghana Library Authority is to conduct in service training courses,[7] seminars and workshops for school Library Assistants and tutor Librarians;[10] visiting schools periodically to inspect and ensure that employee in these libraries are performing to the required standards; and reorganising school and college libraries and helping institutions interested in setting up libraries in their communities.[11]
Directors
Evelyn Evans was the first Director of Ghana Library Board. The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Authority is Ziblim Alhassan, appointed in June 2025 by the Mahama administration.[12]
In May 2021, the Ghana Library Authority was awarded the ‘Library of the Year’ at the London Book Fair (LBF) International Excellence Awards.[13]
Branches
The Anglionby Library was a huge success, therefore a committee was set up. The committee approached the Commonwealth Education and Welfare Trust for money to build more branches especially children's library. The Trust offered £3,000 for the provision of three libraries in Accra. The donated money was used to build the Osu, Accra Central and Kaneshie.[14] In 1975, there was 17 branches across the country.[15] As at 2019, there were 73 public libraries under Ghana Library Authority.[16]
Greater Accra Region
Accra Central Library
It shared its premises with the headquarters of the Ghana Library Authority. It was established in 1946 in former Parliament House. The present premises was officially opened on 17 May 1956 by the governor Sir Charles Arden Clarke, the prime minister, and the president of the British Library Association. The Accra Central Library[17] is located on the High Street, Thorpe Road.[citation needed]
Tema Municipal Library
The Tema Branch Library was opened on 9 November 1962 at the Community Centre at Community One in Tema and moved to its current location on 9 January 2003. The library was renovated and reopened in 2019 by Karpowership Company.The library renders lending, reference and ICT services to the public.[18]It goes on outreach to basic schools and renders book box service to some basic schools in the Municipality. It is located at adjacent to the Tema Senior High School.[citation needed]
Dansoman Community Library
The Dansoman Branch Library was founded in 1984 as a children's Library. The library is located in the premises of the Dansoman Keep Fit Club. The current building can no longer cater for the population and for that matter, MTN Foundation is constructing a new library complex for the Dansoman Community to be able to cater for both adult and Children at Ebenezer Senior High School.[citation needed]
Lartebiokorshie Community Library
The Library started in the last nineties at the residence of Madam Juliana Sackey, former Director of Ghana Library. The current location was opened on 15 May 2013. It was the first library renders service to inmates of the Senior Correctional Centre at Roman Ridge and offers book box services to some schools. It also runs an Adolescent health outreach programme in collaboration with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana and Mamprobi Polyclinic Adolescent Corner to curb the menace of teenage pregnancy within the community.[19]
Osu Community Library
The Osu children's Library was opened in 1950. It also organises reading competitions among school children during their long vacation It is located right behind the Osu Commercial Bank in Accra.
Teshie Community Library
The Teshie branch library started around 1990 in a rented premise at Teshie. Operations in the current building which was put up the Member of Parliament common fund in 2006but had a structural defects so the library was closed to the public in 2010. The Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) worked on the building until 2015 when most of the defects have been corrected, thereafter was opened again to the general public. The library is located near the Southern Cluster of Schools in Teshie and it is about 100 meters from the Teshie Family Health Hospital.
Dodowa Community Library
The Dodowa Branch Library was established in November 1961 through the initiative of Messrs. E. T. Mensah and Johnson. They applied to the then Director of Ghana Library Board for the facility. The library was started at Lower Dodowa in a rented apartment on the ground floor of a storey building, under the care of a resident who was later trained to become the Library Assistant in charge. It was later relocated in 1977 to its current place which used to be a clinic. The facility is currently undergoing renovation by the Shai-Osudoku District Assembly.
Frafraha Library
George Padmore Research Library on African Affairs
It was created in 1961 by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, former President of Ghana. The Research Library was symbolic of what was happening and play important role in furthering the aims of the struggle.[20]
Northern Regional Library[25]-was initially established as a Branch in August 1955 (and on 21 August 1964, was elevated and officially commissioned to the status of the Regional library).
Damongo Library - It was opened in April 1959
Gambaga Library - It was opened in August 1968
Mandari Community Library - It was opened in September 2021
Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Region
Bono Region
Regional Library
Dormaa Library
Sunyani Children's Library - 20 March 1970
Duadaso Library
Wenchi Branch Library
Bono East Region
Techiman Library
Kintampo Library
Ahafo Region
Goaso Library
Duayaw Nkwanta
Upper East Region
Bolgatanga Library
Sandema Library
Bongo Library
Navrongo Library
Western and Western North Region
Sekondi Library - it was opened on 19 September 1952 however in July 1956, it became the Western Regional Library.
Takoradi Library
Axim Library - 1 July 1971
Bibiani Library
Sefwi Wiawso Library
Tarkwa Library - 6 July 1956
Upper West Region
Wa Library - It was opened in January 1960
Sections
The objectives of the Ghana Library Authority is to provide materials for educational support, in the areas of both formal or informal education, in order to have a mass of informed citizens in the country and act as a centre for the dissemination of information of any kind and by any means, such as books, newspapers, magazines; to provide facilities for study and research. Additional objectives include active participation in community activities, with the provision of information to fill specific needs, and to promote and encourage a reading culture in the country..These sections were created to fulfill the objectives.
Lending
The Lending section serves adult and student users. It provides books for lending to registered users. It also renders Interlibrary Loans, Reservation, Referral and Current Awareness services. It observes UN days with exhibitions and displays. It organizes Outreach Programmes for selected Senior High Schools, Readers Club, Research and French Literacy services to the public.
References
The Reference section room provided for study and research. It admits only adult and student users. objective of the Reference Library is to provide the right information to the right person at the right time. It has sitting capacity of 125. It opens from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday. It offers current awareness services, selective dissemination of information, interlibrary loan, library orientation and referral services. Its resources include books, newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets, government publications, laws and historic maps.
Children
The Children's section offers library services to children especially from pre-school to Junior High school. Its objective is to promote the reading habit among children and establish the foundation for life-long learning. The library has a reference corner which provides opportunity for children to do their homework. This corner was equipped with computers to serve the technology needs of children. The library organizes children's programmes such as story hour, film shows and other literacy related activities. The importance of work with children necessitated the putting up of a summer hut where some of the children's activities like drama and story hour could be shifted to accommodate the growing population of users. The book stock includes reference and African collections. The library has artefacts, drawings and assorted educational games.
Extension
The extension section was created in 1960 to cater for the deprive and unserved communities that do not have access to physical libraries. in view of this, the Mobile Library Service was introduced.. The Mobile Library complements the efforts of the static libraries by reaching out to clients who cannot visit the library regularly to borrow books to read at home. It provides lending services through the Book Box Service. This service is particularly suitable for families, institutions/organizations, identifiable groups, societies and clubs. The Mobile Library service is the most popularly acclaimed pro-poor, rural, outreach, public library service programme in Ghana. The Mobile Library services also embarks on ICT Classes for selected basic schools that do not have computer for their practical lessons in the communities across the country and this initiative is supported by EIFL.
Projects/Activities/Support
Ghana Library Authority recently launched an e-learning project Read2Skill. The objective of the project is to enable Ghanaians have the opportunity to undertake courses on the world largest open learning platform, Udemy.[26][27]
The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), in collaboration with the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) and the Parliament of Ghana held "Parliament Reads 2020" under the theme“Inspiring the Next Generation Leaders to be Readers.[30]
Ghana Library Authority declares 2020 as "Year of Learning"[31]
Library Authority Extends Operations to Abuakwa North Municipality.
Library Authority receives vehicles from government.
Library Authority secures license for 1000 Ghanaians to study on Coursera.[32]
Ghana Library Authority extends services to Jaman North Municipality.
Refurbished Children's’ Library in Sunyani Commissioned.
↑ Agyen-Gyasi, K Atta-Obeng, H (11 April 2012). Public library service in Ghana: The Ashanti regional library in perspective. Ghana Library Journal. OCLC809695272.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ AGYEKUM, BAFFOUR OHENE FILSON, CHRISTOPHER KWAME, MR (1 August 2012). The Challenges of School Libraries after the Implementation of the New Educational Reforms in Ghana. DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. OCLC931180702.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Anaba Alemna, A. (November 1995). "Community libraries: an alternative to public libraries in Africa". Library Review. 44 (7): 40–44. doi:10.1108/00242539510147520. ISSN0024-2535.
↑ Grilli, Matteo (30 January 2017). "Nkrumah, Nationalism, and Pan-Africanism: The Bureau of African Affairs Collection". History in Africa. 44: 295–307. doi:10.1017/hia.2016.15. ISSN0361-5413. S2CID164516276.
↑ Boakye, J (23 August 2006). "Techniques of marketing library services and facilities: a case study of Ashanti regional library". Journal of Science and Technology (Ghana). 23 (1). doi:10.4314/just.v23i1.32977. ISSN0855-0395.
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