Speakers

Dr Helena R. Asamoah-Hassan
Executive Director of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA)

Biography

 Dr. Helena R. Asamoah - Hassan is the Executive Director of the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), and a retired University Librarian of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. She has been in the library profession for 38 years, 30 years at the top management level and is a Fellow of the Ghana Library Association.

She was President of Ghana Library Association 2003–06; a Member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) 2007–11; Member, eIFLnet Advisory Board 2007–11; Chairperson, Management Committee, Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH) 2004–2014; the Ghana Country Coordinator for INASP Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI) and also for eIFL from 2004–2014; Emerald Publishers Africa Regional Advisor 2011–2013; and the Chairperson of UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee on the Memory of the World Programme 2013–2015; 2012 BioMed Central Open Access Advocate of the Year and in August 2012. IFLA awarded her with a medal for outstanding service to international librarianship by building bridges across Africa and with the rest of the world. Currently, she is the INASP’s Associate for Africa.

She has 25 publications consisting of 3 books, a chapter each in 3 books, refereed conference proceedings and journal articles. She also has 78 conference papers and 20 major reports. She is a consultant to some international organizations on library and information issues, and an assessor for promotion of Library personnel to some universities in Ghana. She has served and still serves on several other committees at institutional, national and international levels.

Presentation Abstract

The Publishing Industry in Ghana, Any Hope for the Future?

A brief history is given of the publishing industry in Ghana. The challenges the industry is facing now, including limited access to modern means for publishing, are stated. Suggestions as to how these challenges can be surmounted are made with a hope that the gloomy situation will improve in future.