George Padmore research library: The forgotten historical sanctuary

George Padmore analysis library: The forgotten historic sanctuary

Ghana has wealthy historic data which were documented for generations. Many instances, individuals dwell on oral historical past as a result of they’re simply accessible.

Nonetheless, the oral historical past is regularly disappearing, with some being subjected to exaggeration.

In an period the place it has develop into necessary for Ghana’s historical past to be preserved, many ask, the place can these historic data be discovered?

The George Padmore Analysis Library is a house for a few of these data. The library established within the 1961 to honour the reminiscence of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s then private advisor on African affairs, George Padmore, holds vital historic data.

Performing Director of the Library, Simon Teye, argues the power holds vital historical past which will be referenced for any such historic information search. He says the library has “uncommon assortment of all books printed by ex-presidents and heads of state of the nation, the 31 books printed by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, every day newspapers from the 1950’s, all authorities publications just like the legislative devices, conservative devices, parliamentary debates, acts of Ghana and each historical past details about Ghana’s independence.”

On the tradition of the individuals of Ghana he mentioned, “We’ve books on all of the festivals of Ghana no matter the neighborhood or specific area that performs the pageant. Books on the Dipo rites of the Krobos, the whole lot.”

A library with over 170, 000 books on the cabinets with most of them being historic data, it’s quite unlucky that there’s low patronage particularly amongst younger individuals who needs to be inquisitive about figuring out concerning the Ghanaian historical past.

Gifty is a scholar and is of the view that due to expertise, she has entry to all useful resource supplies on her cellphone, “you understand the whole lot is expertise now so I don’t actually make time to go to the library. I’ll quite seek for them on my cellphone.”

Idi Dowoona, additionally a scholar believes that for the Ghana Library Authority, to have the ability to do extra, they should be assisted with all the mandatory assist they want. He mentioned, “I feel they need to be supported in order that they’ll ship on their mandate.”

However Simon Teye thinks that though they’ve supplied entry for a lot of the supplies on-line, the thought of the general public can by no means be missed. “We offer on-line providers just like the Ghana Library App. We even have the Ghana Nationwide Bibliography obtainable on our web site free of charge however we are able to nonetheless by no means get rid of the bodily public libraries within the nation as a result of they need to not overlook, they’ll simply go surfing and have entry to a few of these books on amazon and others. However the bodily library is rather less costly in comparison with the web info. And there’s no system break down within the library.”

Amidst challenges inside the Ghana Library Authority are problems with area and funding. He believes Ghana’s library system is working and the younger ought to take benefit to find out about previous historic occasions.
“For those who don’t know the historical past of Ghana you’ll by no means know the way forward for Ghana. It’s the historical past that teaches us concerning the future. So, it’s advisable for the younger individuals to know precisely what has occurred previously,” he famous.

By: Samuel Yeboah Adams

The submit George Padmore research library: The forgotten historical sanctuary first appeared on 3News.

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