Abstract
Background on the National Library of Jamaica
The year 2019 marks a special year for the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) with the celebration of 40 years of sterling service to the cultural development of Jamaica. Under the theme ‘The Dynamic Legacy: Celebrating 40 Years with 40 Projects’, the 40 signature projects will showcase the NLJ’s depth of value and its myriad contributions to national development since its establishment in 1979.
The NLJ originated from the collection of the West India Reference Library (WIRL) that was founded in 1894 as a section of the Public Library of the Institute of Jamaica. This public library was the first of its kind in Jamaica. The NLJ became an autonomous body in 1979 with its own budget and operations. The National Library of Jamaica Act, 2010 confirmed the autonomy of the NLJ, making it a corporate body with a legal framework to formalize the mandate and operations of the library.
As an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the NLJ’s mission is to ‘enhance the quality of life and prosperity of all citizens by acquiring, preserving and providing access to Jamaica’s cultural and historical information through research and education’. The NLJ is unique in its role in the formal and informal education of the people and is the only library on the island positioned to serve an audience wider than its residents and its diaspora in the global information network.
The collection
The NLJ holds the largest collection of material related to Jamaica and the Jamaican people. This includes works published as early as 1515 to the most current publications. The Legal Deposit Act of 2004 has made the NLJ the national legal depository for all materials. The NLJ is the institution that captures and preserves knowledge and innovations about Jamaica and/or produced by Jamaicans that exist in the form of books, manuscripts, maps, drawings, photographs, audio and visual recordings and other forms of digital storage. This year marks 15 years since the institution of the Legal Deposit Act – another milestone and reason for celebration as this Act has improved the collection drive of Jamaican publications.
Strategic direction 2016–2020
In 2016, a team of internal and external stakeholders developed the strategic direction for the NLJ for 4 years. The creation of the five strategic imperatives are as follows:
Collection, conservation, digitization and access.
Facilities and location.
Marketing and branding.
Staff learning and growth.
Fundraising and fund development.
These imperatives provided the strategic map to guide the NLJ in embracing the future and identifying possible solutions to achieve the vision of the library. In 2018, the parent ministry (Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport) developed a strategic transformation plan that outlined a paradigm and mindset shift of the team to focus on respecting people, being proactive, results driven and self-sufficient. With clearly defined performance indicators and the identification of key issues, the NLJ is on the path to achieving the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Sustainable Development Goals
The NLJ is presently guided by two broad developmental frameworks. One is the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a total of 179 targets spanning economic, environmental and social development. The other guiding framework is Vision 2030: Jamaica’s National Development Plan, which identifies four goals with 15 national outcomes. This plan is in alignment with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The NLJ is a major stakeholder in achieving the national outcome of an ‘Authentic and Transformational Culture’ through facilitating access to information, that is, Jamaica’s documentary heritage. The NLJ has become the champion for the cause, localizing the SDGs through Jamaica Library and Information Network (JAMLIN). The NLJ, through the National Library of Jamaica Act, is assigned the responsibility of coordinating the development of the JAMLIN. JAMLIN, formerly the National Information System (NATIS), comprises libraries, archives, information and documentation units, which collect documents and publications in all formats (print, audiovisual and electronic) and make them available to satisfy the information needs of Jamaica and the wider diaspora.
Hopes and expectations for the future: 2019–2029
The expectations and hopes of the NLJ are at ‘an all-time high’ with the parent ministry focusing on preserving the cultural heritage of Jamaica. Plans are underway for a new purpose-built facility to house the national collection. The building in which the NLJ is presently located is part of the Institute of Jamaica complex. While the building is of historical significance (it was formerly a boarding house run by the family of Mary Seacole), it does not satisfy the specifications needed for a library.
The purpose-built National Library facility has been conceptualized using the key issues set out by IFLAs’ Library Building Guidelines (Latimer and Niegaard, 2007) under four sections, Research, Vision, Space Needs and Communication. The guidelines indicate that library design in the 21st century should focus on space, service and user requirements. Furthermore, fluid dialogue is required between librarian and architect to finalize an attractive building that fits the mandate of the institution.
The British Library has played an integral role in the development of the concept brief for the new purpose-built national library. In April 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two entities outlining areas of communality of interest.
The NLJ will continue the growth and development of existing initiatives. One such initiative is the Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme, which was reinstated in 2014 after a dormancy of 61 years. The present Poet Laureate, the esteemed Lorna Goodison, became Jamaica’s first female Poet Laureate in 2017. This programme has stimulated and encouraged readings and writings in poetry, thus expanding the cultural conversation.
Digitization will become the framework on which the NLJ operates thereby encouraging less handling of the original items and the preservation of the Jamaican cultural heritage in its full diversity. The year 2019 saw the procurement of modern equipment for the branches covering preservation and conservation; digitization; and audiovisual materials. This state-of-the-art equipment will be used to generate revenue as part of the business model to be developed. Other initiatives that will be impactful are the Reggae Film Archive and the database of Jamaican Reggae Pioneers in the United Kingdom. These will be launched in 2020.
Having developed strategic plans and transformed them into operational plans, the marketing and branding of the NLJ would be the next logical step. The NLJ is increasingly distinguishing itself using social media platforms. Most notably, the reach across all major platforms has grown rapidly. Special mention is made to the Twitter demography that includes countries as far away as New Zealand and Australia.
As the NLJ celebrates its 40th anniversary, the stewardship of Ms Stephney Ferguson (first appointed Director – 1980–1992), John Aarons (Director 1992–2002) and Winsome Hudson (National Librarian from 2002 to 2017) is acknowledged. These individuals have ably steered the NLJ through uncharted waters leading the institution to being acknowledged as a key player in national development – A Dynamic Legacy.