The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) has outdoored and supplied four community libraries with 8,000 reading books in the New Juaben North Municipality.

The four libraries received 2000 reading and other complementary books for all levels of readers to help patrons of the libraries in their activities as well as provide them with a conducive learning environment.

The beneficiary libraries are in Oyoko, Asokore, Suhyen and Effiduase communities, all in the Eastern Region and have now been absorbed by the Ghana Library Authority.

The adoption of the four libraries brings the number of government run network of public libraries to 67 in the country.

The four libraries were originally built by the then, Member of Parliament for New Juaben North Constituency, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman in 2003 and was managed by the New Juaben Municipal Assembly but could not be sustained and were closed down.

Speaking at a short ceremony to officially open the libraries, the Acting Executive Director (Ag.) of GhLA, Mr Hayford Siaw, said the aim of the GhLA to absorb and reopen the libraries are in line with its Year of Reading plans to expand its access points for Ghanaians to benefit from professional library services.

He said Authority is on a path of rebirth and total transformation to connect Ghanaians to knowledge resources through the adoption of technology and traditional static libraries.

“Since assumption of office the Authority realized that a lot of private libraries were collapsing and being mismanaged so instead of building new libraries, we are absorbing the existing libraries,” he said.

Mr Siaw said the four libraries are being opened at a time when the Authority has been tasked by government to expand services for the benefit of many young Ghanaians in the communities.

“Many young Ghanaians are getting educated than before and the need for quite places in our communities to self-study and undertake research has become a necessary social service and the Library Authority is delighted to be leading that effort” he observed.

Mr Siaw advised philanthropists and corporate institutions to invest in libraries and reading promotion for the public good.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for New Juaben North Municipality, Ms Comfort Asante, expressed joy about the new development of the libraries and commended past leaders for the foresight in establishing the libraries.

“These libraries will benefit many basic and senior high schools around, since the students would be encouraged to undertake research works and do homework activities as well”, she said.

She charged the Library Authority to consider more libraries for absorption into the public network in the municipality.