Contact Address:
Gambia National Library
Services Authority
Reg Pye Lane P.O Box 552
Banjul capital
The Gambia, West Africa
Tel no: 422 8312
422
6491
Fax: 422 3776
Email: national.library@qanet.gm
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Information:
The GNLSA was initially founded as a book subscription
public lending library in in Banjul back in 1946
and was run by the British Council. In April 1962 the
British Council shut down its office and gave its library
in the Banjul capital city to the government.
In 1971 the name was changed to the Gambia National
Library. In 1974 the British government gave £575,000
for the construction of a new building, books, equipment
and furniture. When the new complex was opened it was
established as the national library in 1976 by the Library
Board Act. A branch was set up in Brikama, Western Region,
in 1990.
In 2009 an act of parliament established the Gambia
Library Services Authority which gave the body more
executive powers and independence to carry out its mandate
more effectively.
It is the national coordinator for library and information
issues and can impose penalties for non-adherence and
encompasses various types of informational materials
& literature such as monographs, important press
clippings, reference, maps, magazines, bibliographic
services, newspapers, digital / electronic records and
audio-visual recordings.
The GNLSA's collections are acquired through gifts,
direct purchases, original legal depository, reports,
surveys and similar government and agency documents
for archiving.
Over the years the library has donated to the University
of The Gambia medical and other academic books it has
received from their overseas partner library called
Book Aid International.
Details:
Library collection of almost 100,000 volumes and
around 7,000 periodicals.
42 + staff
276 + legal deposits / statutes
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