Ghana Marks International Literacy Day

The Ghana Library Authority has marked 2018 International Literacy Day with experiential learning activities across its network.

Celebrated on 8^th September every year, the day which was instituted by UNESCO on 26 October 1966 at its 14^thsession is celebrated to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities, and societies. Ghana Library Authority, the agency responsible for library services and promotion of life-long learning in Ghana celebrated it on Friday, 7^th September 2018.

The theme for this year is ‘’Literacy and Skills Development’’. In marking the day at the Children’s section of the Accra Central Library, the public library agency set out to demonstrate with patrons, its various skills development programmes on offer in accelerating a functional literate society.  Among these skills development programmes include coding lessons for children, creative art, the art of storytelling and comics art/illustration.

Children at the Accra Central Library welcomed representatives from UNICEF Ghana, Access Bank, and Ghana Code to share perspectives. They also volunteered in reading and participated in the hands-on packed event with the children. The day was Chaired by Mrs. Demay Alabi, the host of Books and More Show on Starr FM in Accra.

With a total book stock of a little over half a million across a sixty network of libraries, the agency under the Ministry of Education is poised to accelerate its network of libraries and programmes for Ghanaian citizens under its new leadership. It reports visit of 333,509 across its network in the first half of 2018, a more than 37% increase in visits over the same period in 2017. New Library membership for the first half of the year also stood at 5075, a 13% increase over the same period in 2017. Management attributed the growth to increased outreach programmes and visibility of the agency.

About the Ghana Library Authority

The Ghana Library Authority (formerly Ghana Library Board) is the only institution mandated to establish, equip, manage and maintain public libraries in Ghana. As part of its work, it also prepares guidelines for the establishment of public, community and school libraries.

It was established in 1950 from a £1,000 contribution donated by the late RT. Rev. John Orfeur Aglionby, the then Anglican Bishop of Accra

With an initial collection of 27,000 books today the GhLA has a little over half a million books in 60 outlets (10 Regional Libraries and 50 Branches) across the country.

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