The National Library of Jamaica is concerned primarily with the collection and preservation, organization and provision of access to all publications relating to Jamaica and Jamaicans. These include publications produced in Jamaica as well as those produced outside of the island.

The National Library of Jamaica is located at 12 East Street Kingston, we may also be found on the Internet at http://www.nlj.gov.jm

No. There is no other branch of this library. The National Library of Jamaica is a special library and is the only one of its kind in the country.

The National Library of Jamaica holds resources that are rare, some dating as far back to the 1500s, but there are contemporary materials in the collections as well. The National Library of Jamaica is not a library that individuals can join or borrow books from for home use. It is a library for research and study.

Any information about Jamaica, its people and its heritage may be obtained at the National Library. There is information about the West Indies and the wider world at the National Library but mainly as such relates to Jamaica. Government documents such as Gazettes, Proclamation Rules, Bills and Acts may also be found in the National Library of Jamaica’ s collection.

Requests for information may be emailed to nljresearch@cwjamaica.com
or a letter may be sent to:
Coordinator, Research and Information
National Library of Jamaica
12 East Street, Kingston

The use of pens is strictly prohibited in the library. The National Library of Jamaica is concerned with preserving the documents it holds, ink from pens not only damages materials but also leaves lasting marks on original documents.

The National Library of Jamaica holds collections of: books, maps, manuscripts, newspapers, photographs, audio-visual materials, posters, calendars, prints, postcards and event programmes.

Newspapers found in our collection include The Gleaner, Western Mirror, Children’s Own, The Observer, Morning Journal, X-News. This list is not exhaustive many other newspapers are to be found in the NLJ’s collection.

The Newspaper collection at the National Library of Jamaica dates back to 1718. During this period Jamaica’s first newspaper the Jamaica Courant was being published.

No. Light from photocopy machines deteriorates these materials. However, if there are no copyright or preservation restrictions on an item the requested material can be copied through scanning.

The manuscript collection contains unpublished materials such as estate journals, diaries, letters and birth certificates. This collection holds the birth and death certificates of Marcus Garvey, private papers and correspondence of Donald Sangster, a diary of Norman Washington Manley, literary works from Una Marson and Anthopological Research by Lilly Perkins and many other documents from other Jamaicans.

The photograph collection includes pictures of prominent Jamaican personalities as well as places and outstanding events. A few of the photographs found in this collection include the opening ceremony for world Cup Cricket 2007 held at the Trelawny multi-purpose stadium, photographs capturing the aftermath of Hurricane Dean and many other interesting pictures.

This collection goes as far back as the 1500’s, with 15th century maps of Jamaica, Cuba, Central America and the Caribbean.