The Vice-Chancellor of Accra Technical University has called on students, lecturers and staff to actively use the library as a hub for learning, research and innovation.
He said access to credible information and digital resources was strategic in a knowledge-driven economy, where success depended on information literacy, research competence and the ability to navigate global knowledge systems.
Professor Amevi Acakpovi was speaking at the third week celebration of the ATU Library on the theme “Your Library, Our Story.”
He said the theme highlighted the evolving role of the library beyond a physical space to a centre shaped by the people, ideas and achievements that emerged from it.
Speaking at the celebration on Monday, February 9, Professor Acakpovi described the library as the intellectual heart of the university, where ideas were generated, knowledge refined and academic futures shaped.
He said the library played a central role in teaching, learning and research, adding that innovation and academic growth within the university had been driven by resources and initiatives from the library.
He said that every student who used the library began a journey of discovery, while lecturers and researchers strengthened teaching and contributed to knowledge creation through library resources.
University repository,research visibility
The Vice-Chancellor highlighted the establishment of the university repository as a major milestone for ATU, stating that it served as a digital database for lecturers’ publications and students’ theses.
He said the repository stored best student research works and academic outputs, contributing to the university’s research visibility and global ranking.
He encouraged lecturers and students to ensure their research outputs were deposited in the repository to promote academic excellence and institutional recognition.
Professor Acakpovi said the library had expanded beyond traditional shelves to provide electronic resources, digital databases, academic support services and training in research and information skills.
He also praised the installation of solar infrastructure through the EBSCO grant, which ensured uninterrupted power supply to the library, enabling continuous access to digital resources and learning facilities.
The Vice-Chancellor urged lecturers to encourage students to conduct independent research rather than relying solely on lecture handouts.
He said students should be guided to explore library books, databases and digital archives to deepen their understanding and develop critical thinking skills.
Professor Acakpovi called on the university community to promote a strong reading culture and digital literacy among students and staff.
Library milestones and partnerships
The University Librarian, Dr Florence Plockey, highlighted the library’s collaboration with the Faculty of Health and Environment to strengthen academic practice and innovation.
She disclosed that the library won the ExpoGo Grant in collaboration with the NAD Centre, making ATU’s Library the only library in Africa to receive the award.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh
