OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR 
                                                                            
  
 
COMMISSIONING OF THE BALME LIBRARY INSTRUCTIONAL LAB   
 
 
 
 
ADDRESS BY: 
 
PROFESSOR NANA ABA APPIAH AMFO 
VICE - CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2022 
UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 
 
 
 
 
 
Pro Vice-Chancellors, 
Registrar, 
The Acting Librarian and Management of the University Library 
Systems, 
Deans, Directors, Heads of Department, 
Faculty, Staff and Students, 
Ladies and Gentlemen. 
 
I am honoured to participate in this brief but very important ceremony 
for the commissioning of an Instructional Lab for the Balme Library. 
The Balme Library which was part of the foundation of the 
establishment of the University of Ghana in 1948 continues to develop, 
add value and expand its services of providing crucial support for 
academic work including teaching, learning and research in the 
University. The library provides excellent facilities and 
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resources including reference materials, textbooks, journal databases, 
study carrels and collections both in print and electronic formats. 
In our quest to becoming a world-class research-intensive University, it is 
imperative to invest in technology and infrastructure that propels the 
library for improved services hence the need to set up this dedicated 
resource centre (Instructional Lab) with the sole purpose of assisting 
library patrons to easily, efficiently, and successfully locate, retrieve, 
evaluate and use information. 
The Instructional lab will provide hands-on learning opportunities for 
library users to become adept at using information and information 
resources provided through the library. This will enable students and 
faculty use library resources and facilities on their  own  or  with limited 
assistance from information professionals. 
As a lecturer, I consistently, year after year, brought my graduate 
students to the Balme library to be instructed and guided on how to 
access research materials and generally use all kinds of e-resouces 
available. And so I appreciate the the value of such a lab. 
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I am informed that in 2013, the University of Ghana Library System 
initiated the concept of the Subject Librarian, as part of the 
implementation of the Carnegie project, Next Generation of Academics 
in Africa. Its objective was to augment the delivery of discipline-
specific library instruction which led to assigning of Librarians to 
Departments as subject librarians mandated among others, to provide 
library instruction to the Colleges, Schools, Institutes, Centres and 
Departments, with emphasis on relevant library resources. 
The importance of library instruction or bibliographic instruction in 
academia cannot be underestimated. Successful library instruction 
nurtures curiosity and exploration of the library and its resources while 
building research skills and awareness of the intellectual and social 
issues surrounding information. As a former member and later Chair of 
the Library Board, the value and potential of our library system, is not 
at all lost on me. 
 
 
According to Bowles-Terry, (2012), there is a direct relationship 
between the success of students and their participation in library 
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instruction sessions. I do hope that we will popularize the existence of 
this lab for the patronage of our students. 
 
 
In view of the above, there is no doubt that the instructional lab is a 
crucial facility, in the library for the delivery of these instructional 
sessions. The creation of this Instructional lab is therefore timely and 
synchonises with my vision to use technology as an enabler to enhance 
productivity in the University of Ghana. 
 
The 30-seater networked facility with modern, high speed computers and 
stable internet will help to partly resolve the challenge of space 
confronted by the library as a result of the increasing student population. 
 
Ladies and gentlemen, I am optitmistic that this Instructional lab will be 
used for its intended purpose to impart invaluable information related 
skills to all and among those who would be the next generation of 
academics. 
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I would like to applaud the management of the University of Ghana 
Library System and the Library Board for this initiative and challenge 
them to continue to be  innovative with their spaces and resources as 
they pursue and promote the technology agenda. Management of the 
University pledges its unflinching support to the University of Ghana 
Library System in this endeavour. 
 
Thank you. 
 
 
 
Reference 
 
Bowles-Terry, M. (2012). Library Instruction and Academic Success: A 
Mixed-Methods   Assessment   of   a   Library   Instruction Program. 
Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 7(1), 82– 
95. https://doi.org/10.18438/B8PS4D 
 
 
 
 
Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo 
 
Vice-Chancellor 
July 19, 2022 
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