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The Balme Library was set
up to support the mission
of the university in the
areas of teaching, learning,
research and knowledge
dissemination. In order to
achieve this goal, the Library
carries out the following
duties:
• Acquires, organizes,
stores and disseminates information in all the
appropriate formats for academic work;
• Instructs readers in the effective and efficient use of
the Library and its resources;
• Provides the physical facilities and equipment
needed for the purposeful use of its resources;
• Co-operates with other libraries in building total
library resources through inter-library co-operation
and consortia;
• Conducts research in library related issues; and
• Participates in activities of professional associations
so as to keep library staff abreast with new
developments in libraries and the library profession.
Research Commons
New developments in the Library to aid research include
the establishment of the
Research Commons for faculty
and postgraduate students,
with funding from the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, and the
Knowledge Commons for
undergraduate students.
A researcher requires a serene, comfortable and conducive
environment that would encourage him/her to enjoy what
he/she is doing. The provision of a Research Commons
therefore offers support to faculty and graduate students
in one central campus location at any point in the complex
research process.
Our Research Commons, located on the east wing of the
Balme Library, attempts to assemble groups and expertise
currently distributed throughout the various campuses by
blending technology with current traditional resources to
serve as a centre for a wide range of scholarly activities. This
is one of the roles being played by our Library to help achieve
the University’s strategic objective of developing graduates
with high level skills.
The Research Commons of the Balme Library provides
the following:
• State of the art technology, access to a number
of software packages in the Sciences and the
Humanities, Microsoft Office applications and
hardware facilities such as laptops, laser printing
(colour and black and white), digital projector and
screen, scanner, etc.
• A comfortable workplace for contemplation,
research, preparing and rehearsing presentations
and discussions.
• A relaxed seating area where a researcher can have
a cup of tea or coffee.
Users are also free to bring their own laptops, headphones,
digital cameras and scanners and will be responsible for the
safe keeping of their equipment.
An epoch-making ceremony to inaugurate the plush
University of Ghana Research Commons took place on
Prof. Ellis E. Badu
University of Ghana Librarian
Faculty Research Commons
Graduate Research Commons
