About the National Library
The National Library of Namibia is a reference library that supports
education and research by providing all Namibians and Namibian libraries access
to national and international information resources.
The Library is mandated by the National Library & Information
Services Act 4 of 2000 to collect and preserve published documents and make
them available.
Objective
§ Preserve
§ Conserve
§ Appreciate
National Library Computer Lab
National Library Reference Section
History
In October 1984, the library started as Estorff Reference Library.
It focused on providing reference, inter-lending and professional services to
the general public.
In 1990 after Namibia’s attainment of independence, the library was
placed under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport with the
intention of developing a national library.
In April 1994, the Estorff Reference Library officially became the
National Library of Namibia and is now part of the Ministry of Education, Arts
& Culture and was reopened in 2000 in this new building.
Core Functions
According to Section 5 of
the Namibia Library and Information Service Act 4 of 2000.
User Services:
- Provide access to information
resources preserve conservation
- Provide support services and
conduct research
- Co-ordinate and supplement the
collection
Embassy Of Venezuela donation
Bibliographic Services:
- Render bibliographic services
and serve as the national bibliographic agency;
- Build through legal deposit or
other means, a collection of material emanating from Namibia or relating
to Namibia;
- Act as central agency that
provide International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) and International
Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs).
- Promote awareness and
appreciation of the existence of Namibia's national
Collection includes:
Namibiana
Rara (rare),
Manuscript, and
Newspaper
Collections
Government
Gazettes – SA
General
Collection
Total Collection Size = 279,382 item records
Namibiana = 127,851
catalogue record
Current & Future
Projects
Visually
Impaired People Section (VIP Section)
The National
Library is in the process of establishing a Section for the visually impaired
library users, that would develop specialized information services to
meet the library and information needs of their visually
impaired clientele. The main objective of this new unit is, to empower the
socio-professional integration of people with visual impairment into library
services. We have recently signed an agreement with South Africa Library for
the Blind, and are still sourcing from different parties to fully establish
this section.
General Collection
National Digitization
Namibia Library
& Archives Service is spearheading the Namibia Digital Research output
library repository that aims to develop an interoperable system for this
project. The primary purpose is to enhance the dissemination for accessibility
and visibility of research outputs from across Namibia institutions responsible for conducting research, by enabling all
research outputs to be searched and accessed from a single web-based one stop
search platform. A concept note
was drafted to outline the plan of the project including the cost to source for
funding towards the project.
Namibia National Bibliography
The National Library of Namibia is
mandated to act as the national bibliographic agency under the Namibia Library
and Information Service Act No.4 of 2000.
Namibiana Collection
The NNB is a very important tool that
records the country’s publishing output; promotes awareness of the nation’s
cultural heritage and appreciation of the arts; makes available information
needed by decision-makers to create an appropriate framework for sustainable
social and economic development; and provides the nation’s technical and
environmental data for research and innovation. It also contributes to
universal bibliographic control. Therefore, measures must be taken to ensure
the regular and timely compilation and production of the NNB.The final editing
of the NNB 2017/18 will soon be completed for the publishing of the document.
National Library & Information Consortium
of Namibia
Namibia
Library & Archives Service through the National Library of Namibia is
spearheading; National Library & Information Consortium of Namibia to bring
different information organizations together to acquire electronic information
resources on a lower cost.
Benefits of consortia;
§
Provides access to a wider
number of electronic resources at substantially lower cost;
§
Smaller institutions
(historically unable to afford many journals), can have access to wide range of
journals
§
Optimum utilization of funds.
§
Better terms of licenses for
use, archival access and preservation of subscribed electronic resources, which
won’t be possible for any single institution;
KOHA
The National Library of Namibia is
currently using Symphony as a library management system, but is in the process
of creating a library with KOHA Open Source Library Management System with the
intention to migrate to cut cost on the subscription fees.
Publishers workshop
Publishers Workshop (Windhoek)
As
a mandated library by the Namibia Library and Information Service Act, Act No.
4 of 2000 to promote awareness and appreciation of the existence of Namibia’s
national heritage, the National Library of Namibia had a Publishers Workshop on
05th October 2023 with a follow up meeting with different O/M/As on a
regular basis.
The
objectives of this activity is to;
§ To ensure that the Namibia publishing standards
improve.
§ To address the publishing challenges and the low
standard of books published by self-producers.
Japanese Embassy Donation
Partnerships
§ MoU was signed with the South African Library of
the Blind (SALB) recently to collaborate towards the establishing of the
section for the visually impaired.
§ MOU signed with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in library Services
& Information Science.
§ Book Donations from different Embassy’s: Japan, Turkey and Venezuela.
§ UNESCO: NATCOM in celebrating annual World Book & Copyright Day
§ Directorate of Arts: NACN collaborating in bi-annual Literary Festival
Meet the Chief Librarian of the National Library of Namibia
Ms. Hedwich Meyer; Chief Librarian (National Library of Namibia)
Ms. Hedwich Meyer is the Chief Librarian at the National Library of Namibia, where she plays a pivotal role in overseeing national information resources, promoting access to knowledge and guiding strategic library development. With over two decades of experience in the field, she has been a dedicated contributor to Namibia’s library and information service sector since 2003.
Hedwich holds a National Diploma in Library and Information Studies and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Science both from the University of Sou
th Africa(UNISA). Her academic background with extensive experience shaped her into a skilled leader that advocate for information accessibility, digital transformation in libraries and promotion of literacy in and across the country.
Throughout her career, she has steadily risen through the ranks, demonstrating commitment, innovation and leadership in various capacities.
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