The University of Cape Coast has held a 3-day 40th Meeting of the Committee of University Librarians and their Deputies (CULD) to review and enhance standardization of literacy resources and knowledge dissemination.
The conference themed: The Evolving Role of Academic Librarians in Knowledge Dissemination and Digital Literacy, gathered participants and librarians from all mainstream universities and technical universities across the country.
The Provost of the College of Education Studies, UCC, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis said the theme will evoke discussions around effective ways of equipping information users to be digitally literate. Also, ways by which Liberians could disseminate information effectively.
Presenting the speech on behalf of the vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Davis called for a collaborative effort from all university librarians to engage in continuous learning to be abreast with the various technologies.
“So the present technological advancement poses a challenge to institutions. There could be disparities in access to information across programmes or even institutions. The students might not have access to information because of several challenges the library might face,” he said.
“I would advise them (librarians) to continue to work collaboratively as a community of practitioners, positioning our university libraries as dynamic centres of learning, innovation, and community engagement,” he continued.
The Director of Documentation and Information Management Centre at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Dr. Edwin Tetteh Ayernor, explained the need to redefine the function of librarianship.
He argued that a user-centred approach, embracing faculty librarian principles, is crucial in today’s academic environment.
“The use of the library in contemporary times has changed so much… so one of the factors would be technology. The other factor is the way the university setup itself has changed so much in the last two decades. And in recent times, AI is also changing how students access information,” he said.
An Associate Professor at the Department of Maths and ICT Education, Prof. Kofi Ayebi-Arthur emphasized the importance of libraries adapting digital space as storage places for their vast wealth of information.
He however stressed the importance of observing netiquettes in searching for information, emphasizing the need to avoid cyberbullying and adhering to appropriate netiquette principles.
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Source: Flora Tang & Benjamin Hutchful/ATLFMNEWS
