By Dominic Agyei Dankwah

Over the past few weeks, I have had to rare opportunity to visit libraries, innovation hubs, design centres, research commons, and community spaces across the United States as part of the Mortenson Center Associates Program. I have seen impressive technologies, innovative services, and inspiring professionals committed to improving the lives of their users. Yet the most valuable thing I am taking home is not a technology, a tool, or a building design.

It is a dream. I dream of a library that is not viewed simply as a place where information is stored, but as a place where solutions are created. I dream of a library that actively supports healthcare professionals, researchers, students, and communities in addressing pressing health challenges. I dream of a library where innovation is not measured by the sophistication of technology, but by the difference it makes in people’s lives.

At the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ghana, we are uniquely positioned to contribute to health education, research, and healthcare delivery. Yet like many academic libraries, we continue to wrestle with questions of relevance, visibility, and impact. How do we move beyond providing access to information and become active partners in knowledge creation and problem-solving?

Well, the Mortenson program has challenged me to think differently.

What if the library became a hub where students learn not only how to find information but also how to create podcasts that communicate public health messages? What if researchers no longer saw libraries merely as support centres, but as partners and co-stewards of research data management, open science, and evidence synthesis? What if communities could access trustworthy health information through digital platforms developed and supported by the library?

I dream of a future where the library is woven into every stage of the health knowledge ecosystem. I dream of preserving Ghana’s medical heritage so that future generations can learn from the experiences of those who came before them. I dream of strengthening research support services that help local researchers generate evidence capable of improving health outcomes. I dream of libraries that use data to understand users, design services around their needs, and communicate their impact effectively. Most importantly, I dream of libraries that are confident enough to lead.

The institutions we visited during the Mortenson program did not become influential because they possessed more resources alone. They became influential because they were intentional about understanding their users, building partnerships, communicating value, and continuously adapting to change.

That lesson is relevant everywhere, including Ghana. Dreams, of course, are not plans. They do not automatically become reality. But every meaningful transformation begins with someone imagining a different future. As I reflect on this journey, I leave with a renewed sense of possibility. The future I envision for academic libraries in Ghana may still be taking shape, but I am convinced it is achievable. And like many worthwhile journeys, it begins with a dream.