KNUST Prempeh II Library Research Commons Officially Opened

The Vice Chancellor has officially opened the Research Commons, the research wing of the main library of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) now known as Prempeh II Library. The KNUST Research Commons is dedicated to research for Masters and PhD students as well as the academic staff of KNUST. The ¢200,000 facility boasts of an open space, a discussion zone, faculty commons, a video conferencing room and a training centre.

The KNUST Research Commons has come to provide quality services, expert help and seamless access to research information. It incorporates library services and computer technology and assistance, allowing postgraduate students, academic staff and researchers to pursue the entire research process in a supportive environment.

The facility was supported by the Building Stronger Universities (BSU), a project supported by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) under BSU II.

Professor Robert Clement Abaidoo, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, in his address, stated that the BSU seeks to support university-wide processes to enhance research output. He said as an academic institution our mandate is to spearhead research which is the reason the project chose to extend the operations of the library in its second stage to make KNUST’s research output and reach better.

Professor William Otoo Ellis, Vice Chancellor, indicated that the focus was to make information available since the library was the nerve centre in academia, and recognizing this, University has acquired several softwares for the library.

Prof. Ellis stated that the Research Commons had undergone refurbishment to give it a facelift. He therefore encouraged all staff and students to take advantage of the enhancement to make use of the facility in their research.

Dr. Samuel Kotei Nikoi, University Librarian, stated that traditionally, universities had the mandate to teach, research and reach out to communities and the establishment of the Research Commons had come to support the mandate of the University.

He further stated that the establishment of the unit was to promote research and to make it more accessible and visible in the lives of the people.

Dr. Nikoi revealed that currently, research had moved from the traditional to transnational and the facility had come at a good time to provide an answer to the numerous challenges faced by researchers. The University librarian said the facility had space for collaboration, modern academic databases and facilities as well as softwares for the university community.

According to Richard Bruce Lamptey, Head of the Research Commons, the University community can enjoy in-depth support services such as electronic and web-based information finding, citation searching, education and training in library research and application of related technologies to enhance independent information finding, utilisation and lifelong learning. The facility also offers advice on research publications, including institutional repositories and dissemination of research results.

The Vice Chancellor assisted by Prof. Robert Abaidoo and Dr. Samuel Kotei Nikoi officially cut the tape to open the facility. Reverend Dr. Paul Boafo, the Protestant Chaplain dedicated the facility.