IT firm enhances reading through E-libraries
West Blue Consulting, an Information Technology (IT) company, has begun a project to build a new concept of public libraries in the country that will allow the public, particularly students, to have access to a wide collection of books from the various African cultures.
Dubbed the “e-Ananse Libraries”, the project, which is aimed at enhancing the reading culture among Ghanaian students, will have an Ananse Hut, an outdoor space where programmes of live literature events will take place.
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There will also be a shade where patrons will be allowed to watch movies that throw more light on African cultures and how they originated.
Two of such libraries have been built at Osu and the University of Ghana in the Greater Accra Region.
Reading culture
At a media engagement in Accra, the General Manager of West Blue, Mr Kingsley Abeyieh, said the e-Ananse libraries would have professional and renowned authors who would be engaged to conduct book readings and reviews of celebrated writers.
He said the libraries would provide Ghanaians with culturally relevant resources that “celebrate the African heritage and at the same time display books of other writers”.
He said the libraries “are the realisation of a long-held dream of West Blue’s Founder, Ms Valentina Mintah, to provide Ghanaians with culturally relevant resources that celebrate the African heritage, in line with her mantra: “Think global; know local”.
Mr Abeyieh said based on the outcome of the two libraries in Accra, West Blue would make a decision to extend the project to other regions.
He said he was confident that the concept would help improve the standard of education in the country.
Features
The project consultant, Madam Sylvia Arthur, explained that 60 per cent of the books that would be stocked in the e-Ananse libraries would be for adults, while the remaining 40 per cent would be for children.
She also added that 80 per cent of the books in the e-Ananse libraries were written by renowned African writers, while 20 per cent were written by non-African writers.
Touching on the features of the libraries, Madam Arthur said: “Both e-Ananse libraries feature a core collection of contemporary and classic fiction and non-fiction primarily by writers of African descent, as well as niche collections unique to each library, including beautiful children’s books, poetry and professional development.”