Services
Various services provided by the University Library are listed below:
Research
The university advances knowledge through dedicated research teams in various departments, institutes, and centers, spanning arts, science, technology, and other key areas. We maintain a centralized database system to manage research information and publications efficiently.
Additionally, our university promotes interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty and students to drive innovative research across diverse academic fields, fostering an environment where knowledge and expertise from various disciplines converge to address complex global challenges.
News & Events
Stay Engaged: Dive into Our Library News & Events.
Science Friday, Episode 9: Brain Health is Public Health
Published: 18th Sep 2026 Source: University Relations Office (URO) Professor Priscilla Kolibea Mante of the Department of Pharmacology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) has called for greater attention to brain health as a public health priority, citing gaps in neurological health data, specialised services and trained professionals in Ghana. “There’s a data gap. So, we don’t have the numbers. I can’t give you one single number that covers the neurological burden in Ghana,” she said. Professor Mante made the call at the ninth edition of KNUST Libraries' ScienceFriday, held under the theme, “Brain Health is Public Health.” The programme examined the growing burden of neurological conditions, challenges facing Ghana’s healthcare system and emerging research into the relationship between the brain, gut, immune system and drug treatment. Professor Mante urged the university community to broaden its understanding of brain health and recognise the social, environmental and health-system factors that influence neurological conditions. “Brain health is dynamic and is highly susceptible to other factors including social and environmental factors,” she said. She highlighted the economic impact of neurological conditions, saying they could reduce productivity while increasing healthcare costs for individuals, families and health systems. Professor Mante also stressed the importance of education and health literacy in helping people recognise symptoms and make informed decisions about seeking care. “Schooling is important,” she said, noting that education could improve health literacy and influence health-seeking behaviour. She said brain health could not be considered in isolation from other parts of the body, highlighting the gut-brain axis, through which the gut and brain communicate via pathways involving the bloodstream, nervous system, immune system, microorganisms and hormones. Professor Mante said her research team was exploring neurotransmitter signalling, drug development, gut microbes and metabolites, as well as interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system. She also discussed the potential of traditional medicine as a starting point for scientific research and drug discovery, but cautioned that traditional use alone did not establish the effectiveness of a treatment. “Traditional use is not indication of efficacy,” she said. She said knowledge from traditional medicine practitioners could instead provide hypotheses for researchers to test and validate scientifically. Dr. Richard Bruce Lamptey, University Librarian, said the role of the library extended beyond providing books to supporting learning, knowledge production, preservation and dissemination. “The library is not only a place for books, I believe. It's a place also to learn, disseminate knowledge, produce knowledge, preserve knowledge, and all that,” he said. He said the university community had a responsibility to promote knowledge and awareness about health. “Our brain is central to how we think, how we learn, how we communicate, make decisions and relate to others,” he said. Dr. Lamptey urged participants to take the conversation beyond Science Friday by promoting understanding and reducing stigma surrounding neurological and mental health conditions. “Let us replace stigma with understanding, silence with conversation, and prevention,” he said. He also encouraged members of the university community to support colleagues, students, friends and family members experiencing health challenges and to seek professional help when necessary.
KNUST Library System Organises KOHA Cataloguing Module Training
The KNUST Library System has organised a hands-on training session on the KOHA Cataloguing Module to strengthen staff capacity and support the Library's transition to KOHA. The KNUST Library System organised a training session on the KOHA Library Management System – Cataloguing Module on Monday, 7th September 2026, at The DEN, Prempeh II Library. The training was held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. as part of efforts to build staff capacity for the effective implementation and use of KOHA across the KNUST Library System. The training focused on equipping library staff with practical knowledge and skills in using the KOHA Cataloguing Module. Participants were introduced to the KOHA cataloguing interface and guided through key cataloguing processes, including searching for existing bibliographic records, creating and editing bibliographic records, working with MARC21 fields, creating item records, and managing cataloguing information. The session combined presentations, demonstrations and hands-on practical exercises, allowing participants to interact directly with the KOHA system and gain experience with the cataloguing workflow. Participants also had the opportunity to raise questions and discuss issues relating to cataloguing, data quality and the migration of existing library records to KOHA. The training was facilitated by S. A. Y. Humphrey-Ackumey, assisted by David Nti and members of the Technical Support Team. The facilitators provided technical guidance and practical support throughout the session. The programme forms part of the KNUST Library System's broader efforts to strengthen staff competencies and ensure a smooth transition to KOHA. Continued training and hands-on practice will be organised to support staff in effectively using the various modules of the system. The KNUST Library System remains committed to leveraging modern library technologies to enhance the management of its collections and improve services to students, researchers, faculty and other members of the University community.
Science Friday, Episode 8: From Science-2-Business : "Ways and Means" is No Means to Scaling Research Impact-Perspectives from FarmSense and SIWA Commercialization
The KNUST Library system hosted KNUST ScienceFriday, a forum aimed at bridging research, innovation, and real-world impact. Professor Eric Tutu Tchao delivered a presentation critiquing the prevalent "ways and means" mindset in academic research, where projects focus on quick deliverables rather than genuine scientific inquiry. He emphasized that this approach undermines scalability, user ownership, and long-term relevance, citing examples like farmers dismantling project equipment because they saw it as serving researchers' needs, not their own. Prof. Eric Tutu Tchao Prof. Tutu Tchao identified four key barriers to impactful research: poor application of scientific principles, the "grant-to-paper" cycle, underinvestment in talent, and lack of intellectual property (IP) protection. He contrasted this with the Deepa Lab’s success through long-term, user-centered projects like SIWA, an AI-enhanced weather app built on indigenous knowledge co-created with farmers, and FarmSense, an IoT agricultural tool that overcame early failures by prioritizing rigorous validation and stakeholder trust. Key lessons include investing in people over projects, protecting IP, engaging users early, and planning for sustainability beyond grants. The library’s role in hosting such forums highlights its evolving function as a catalyst for meaningful research translation and academic-community collaborati.
18
September 2026Science Friday, Episode 9 : Brain Health is Public Health
2:00 PMPREMPEH II LIBRARY
9
September 2026JoVE Faculty Workshops at KNUST
9:00 AMBusiness School Postgraduate Building, Block D.
14
August 2026Science Friday, Episode 8
2:00 PMPREMPEH II LIBRARY