National Library Service of Botswana

National Library Service of Botswana
Country Botswana
Type National Library
Established April 8, 1968 (1968-04-08)
Location 1272 Lithuli Road, Gaborone

The National Library Service of Botswana is the legal deposit and copyright library for Botswana. It was officially opened on April 8, 1968. They strive to be a world class library and information hub. The library is considered one of the most centralized in the world, as it is responsible for the professional development for all libraries within Botswana, including academic ones.[1]

History

Being established in September 1967 through the Act of the Botswanan National Assembly. President Sir Seretse Khama, the first President of the Republic of Botswana, officially opened the service on April 8, 1968. It was one of seven departments of the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs. Its mission has been to preserve the national literary heritage and to provide the public with informational and educational services.

According to the United Nations, as of 2003 approximately 81 percent of adult Batswana are literate.[2]

Services

The library offers many services including:

Divisions

The library currently encompasses many divisions including:

  • Bibliographic Support Services
  • National Reference Library
  • Public Libraries Division
  • Library Service for People with Disabilities
  • Projects Research and Publications

Programs

The library currently offers many programs to its patrons, including:

See also

References

  1. Baffour-Awauah, Margaret (2000). "Margaret Baffour-Awuah, principal librarian, Gaborone, Botswana: a day in her life". School Libraries Worldwide. 6 (1): 22–26.
  2. "Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years (both sexes, female, male)". UIS.Stat. Montreal: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2017.

Bibliography

  • Margaret Baffour-Awuah, Principal Librarian, Gaborone, Botswana: A Day in Her Life
  • "Botswana", World Report 2010, The Hague: International Federation of Library Associations, OCLC 225182140, Freedom of access to information (Includes information about the national library)

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