Ghana Library Authority takes delivery of Children's Encyclopaedias from Britannica

Recognized as Library of the Year, Ghana Library Authority makes information and literature widely available in innovative ways.

The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) has received hundreds of copies of children’s encyclopaedia (digital and hard copy) as from Britannica. These books are to further increase accessibility to knowledge resources through GhLA’s 105 public libraries, the Ghana Library app and its eleven mobile library vans.

The gift comes just after the Authority was recognized as the Library of the Year by the London Book Fair (LBF) International Excellence Award. The award was granted based on the Authority’s “outstanding commitment to using technology to support remote learning to promote information skills, literacy, and reading.”

The Britannica All New Kids Encyclopedia, edited by world history author Christopher Lloyd, is a richly illustrated 424-page compendium of knowledge to satisfy curious minds, packed full of reliable facts from the experts at Britannica. Unlike many children's encyclopedias, which are typically structured from A–Z, the All New Kids Encyclopaedia has a narrative arc, telling the story of the world from the beginning of time to the present day and even glimpsing into the future.

The Chief Executive of the Ghana Library Authority, Mr. Hayford Siaw, has expressed his gratitude for this generous donation, stating, “This year has been declared as the Year of Literacy by the Ghana Library Authority and we are set to provide relevant knowledge resources at all library nodes in the country. This donation, therefore, fits perfectly with our vision of connecting Ghanaians to relevant knowledge resources to advance the cause of a literate society. I would like to thank Britannica for the donation and will ensure that all Ghanaian children benefit through our public libraries and mobile library services.”

Theodore Pappas, executive editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica, said, “Britannica is thrilled to support the Ghana Library Authority to promote the reading habits of our younger learners and establish the foundation for lifelong learning. Our children’s encyclopaedia is a wonderful book for early learners--for sparking their curiosity about the wonders of the world, both big and small--and for readers in areas without easy access to the Internet or to new educational resources.”