Jamaica Libraries and Information Network (JAMLIN)

The National Information System, named JAMLIN, was established in 1979. This system is a network of libraries in ministries, departments and agencies which has been grouped according to subject areas to ensure the effective and efficient sharing of knowledge resources within government. The National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) has been mandated by the National Library of Jamaica Act to carry out functions related to JAMLIN. In order to effectively do so the National Library has embarked on the development of a strategic plan for the system. The development of this plan included the required input from stakeholders and this was facilitated through a focus group as well as other meetings arranged to develop a mission and a vision statement.  The process continues into 2015.

JAMLIN Sector Network statistics for the period ending December 2014:

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Library Statistics January to December 2013

A secondary mandate of the NLJ is to coordinate development of the National Information System named the Jamaica Libraries and Information Network (JAMLIN). This system is a network of library networks in ministries, departments and agencies which has been grouped according to subject areas.

The sector networks are:

• Audiovisual Information Network (AVIN)
• College Libraries and Information Network (COLINET)
• Jamaica Agriculture and Documentation Information Network (JADIN)
• Legal Information Network (LINET)
• Socio-Economic Information Network (SECIN)
• Scientific Information Network (STIN)

The National Library of Jamaica distributes and supports the low cost library management system CDS-ISIS to sector network libraries and collects cataloguing records from them for addition to the Jamaica Bibliographic Database which is a listing of the holdings in the network libraries as well as in the National Library.  At December 2013, there were 191,110 records in the bibliographic database an addition of 12, 525 when compared to 2012.

JAMLIN Seminar

On October 31, 2013, JAMLIN hosted a seminar Developing the Knowledge Society: Libraries and Vision 2030. The aim of the seminar was to renew commitment of the JAMLIN Libraries to the development of the National Information System.

During the seminar a special luncheon was held in honour of Ms. Hermine Salmon, former COLINET coordinator (retired librarian, Calvin McKain Librarian, University of Technology, Jamaica) and Mrs. Arlene Ononaiwu, former SECIN coordinator (retired librarian, Wesley Hughes Documentation Centre, Planning Institute of Jamaica). The National Library also presented awards to the focal point libraries for their commitment to the development of JAMLIN.

Sector Network statistics for the period ending December 2013: