Library authority shortlisted for International award

The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) has been shortlisted for the London Book Fair (LBF) International Excellence Awards 2021 in the “The Library of the Year Award” category.

The GhLA was shortlisted alongside the Kenya National Library Services of Kenya and the Public Library Koprivnica of Croatia.

Purpose

The award is being organised by the London Book Fair, in partnership with the Publishers Association (United Kingdom), to celebrate publishing achievement across seven categories.

Additionally, it is also to recognise organisations and individuals who have demonstrated originality, creativity, and innovation within the industry.

Categories

A press release copied to the Daily Graphic, listed the other categories as “The Audiobook Publisher of the Year; The Bookstore of the Year Award; The Educational Learning Resources Award; The Literary Translation Initiative Award and The Rights Professional Award.

Only three African countries made up of Ghana and Kenya are contesting  the “Library of the Year Award” while Editora Trinta Zero Nove of Mozambique is the remaining Africa country contesting  Bulgaria, Singapore and Germany for the “Literary Translation Initiative Award” category.

Reading nation

The release quoted the Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Mr Hayford Siaw, as saying that the Authority was on a quest to make Ghana a reading nation through the provision of world class library services that connected Ghanaian citizens to relevant knowledge resources and advances to achieve life-long learning.

“As a result, we are working tirelessly with major stakeholders and this recognition is a testament to the extraordinary support received so far towards achieving the vision,” he added.

Passion

For his part, the Director of the London Book Fair, Mr Andy Ventris, in the release, said, “It is so inspiring to see the incredible work being done by the LBF International Excellence Awards 2021 shortlistees in a year, which has challenged every facet of the publishing industry.

“Facing unprecedented obstacles with determination and creativity, these 15 entries demonstrate the passion that powers the publishing industry all around the globe.

“Books have been a special haven for so many of us in recent times, and we are honoured to celebrate the role our shortlistees have played in bringing reading and knowledge to their communities and beyond,” he added.

He wished the shortlisted institutions and their respective countries the best of luck, and look forward to announcing the winners as well as the recipient of the London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award within this month.