Ghana Telecom University College launches electronic library

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - The Ghana Telecom University College (GTUC) on Friday launched its electronic and multimedia library to support the students with information literacy programmes and services that would ensure their positive contributions to the common good of society. The library is a wireless environment equipped with 36 computer workstations that can access the Web, E-books and online journals. It also provides a laptop lane where students can access information with their own laptops.

Dr Osei Darkwa, Principal of the University, noted that apart from GTUC's subscription to ATHENS, a British Council virtual library service which could provide students with wealth of electronic resources, it was also developing agreements with electronic publishing houses and other virtual libraries to add to its resources. He said access to knowledge was critical for individuals and societies to succeed and this was where speed of access became very important in order not to make information obsolete before it was used. Dr Darkwa said the library would place information online hourly and daily to help students solve the problem of having to find the right information they needed. He said though the electronic media was not expected to replace paper technology completely, most libraries in the future would be electronic.

In view of that the University had begun to develop a full array of books and journals online in full text, references works, course materials and prototypes, just like in "Google Scholar" and "Project Guttenburg" the Principal said. Though Dr Darkwa could not immediately state the cost of the library, he said it was a very expensive project and urged students to use their 10 hours per week access to the library wisely. He said the University College was a member of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries (CARLIGH) in Ghana, a non-profit association with the objective of employing collective information resources, available technology and staff capabilities to promote and improve teaching and learning.

Professor Christine Kisiedu, Member of the GTUC Council, said the library was a trailblazer since no other university had the facility and commended the institution for the initiative. She urged the students to take good care of the equipment because it would enhance their access to multimedia and electronic information both locally and internationally to upgrade their knowledge and skills.

9 Nov. 07