The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) is moving to undertake a bold Library Reset Agenda which will see the modernisation of the country’s public library system through digitisation, innovation and expanded access to knowledge.
Executive Director of the Authority Ziblim Alhassan said the initiative will focus on digitising resources, modernising services and reorienting libraries to meet the needs of a rapidly changing digital economy.
Speaking at the Digital Learning at Ghana Public Libraries Forum in partnership with the Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL), Mr. Alhassan disclosed that a comprehensive review of the Authority’s 55-year-old Act is crucial to realign its mandate with global best practices.
“The Ghana Library Authority will embark on a Library Reset Agenda which will provide a renewed focus such as, modernising our services, digitising our resources, and reorienting our libraries to meet the needs of a fast-changing society. As we modernise our services, it has also become clear that the review of our 55-year-old Act is critical and relevant to modern library trends”, he noted.
The review, he added, would provide the legal backbone for transforming Ghana’s libraries into centres of digital learning, skills development, and innovation, ultimately supporting the country’s broader knowledge economy.
“A reviewed Act will provide for the establishment of National and Presidential Memorial Libraries, create a dedicated and reliable funding source for sustainable library service delivery, expand our mandate to include digitisation, and extend the tenure of our Governing Board to ensure continuity in leadership and innovation. This review will serve as the legal backbone for the transformation we seek to achieve in Ghana’s library ecosystem”, he added.
Meanwhile, EIFL Programme Manager, Ramunė Petuchovaite, hailed the partnership with the GhLA, describing the Digital Learning at Ghana Public Libraries initiative as a model for impact.
She pointed to tangible outcomes such as boosting digital literacy, expanding access to e-learning resources and reimagining libraries as community hubs for innovation and opportunity.
“This collaboration has been on for more than 10 years where we have been building the capacities of public libraries to meet the needs of communities by applying technology and new services. And we are very happy with the 15 libraries we have partnered under this project”, she said.
The Library Reset Agenda is expected to redefine the role of libraries in Ghana’s socio-economic development, positioning them as vital enablers of human capital growth and digital inclusion.
Ghana’s education system continues to grapple with barriers to digital learning – from poor internet connectivity and unstable power supply to inadequate access to devices and ICT infrastructure.
These challenges leave many students without the skills needed to thrive in a technology-driven economy.
To bridge this gap, the Digital Learning at Ghana Public Libraries Project (2024–2025) leveraged public libraries as digital hubs, offering practical training for students aged 12 to 18.
Through the initiative, librarians and ICT coordinators delivered outreach lessons in schools and led four- to six-week workshops in libraries on high-demand skills such as Microsoft Office applications, internet research, digital reading, online safety, graphic design, coding and web development.
The significant results led to the upgrading of 15 public libraries nto fully functional digital learning centres.
15,110 students received foundational digital literacy training through school outreach while 1,539 students completed intensive workshops and earned certificates in digital skills.
