• Index of this issue

No. 70, March 2011

Historical Background of NLB: After independence in 1971, it was keenly felt by the all quarters of citizens including policy makers that a National Library is indispensable to help fulfill the cultural aspirations of the newborn nation. The new Government of the new nation resolved to establish the National Library of Bangladesh and the Central Library was declared as the National Library of Bangladesh (NLB).

The NLB started its journey in 1972 in capital city Dhaka. It was established on top priority basis to put contribution in nation's education, research, scholarly, and cultural activities.

National Library of Bangladesh

Present Status: The National Library is at present under the administrative set up of the Directorate of Archives and Libraries under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of Bangladesh. National Library is the single Depository and Repository under the Copy Right Law modified in 2005 as well as the main knowledge content provider of the Bangladesh. It has got its own building having sufficient physical infrastructure including air condition stack block, 3200 sft. exhibition room and 300 seating capacity air condition auditorium.

• Various Section:
  • a. Copyright Central Acquisition Section
  • b. National Bibliography Section
  • c. Bibliographical Reference/ISBN Section
  • d. Library Section (Processing, Reader service, Reference service etc.)
  • e. Automation & Information Service Section
  • f. Microfilm (Preservation) Section
  • g. Establishment Section

• Acquisition Policy:
  • Bangladesh National Library acquires through purchase, donations etc. books, journals etc. in accordance with the following principles:
  • a) Books & Journals on Bangladesh published any where in the world;
  • b) Books by Bangladeshi authors published abroad;
  • c) Contemporary books by Nobel Prize winners, the national level best books of other countries;
  • d) Standard books on Asian countries and on other countries also;
  • e) Carefully selected latest books on all branches of knowledge;
  • f) Standard reference books;
  • g) Biographies of eminent personalities of the world;
  • h) Donation of Institutional/personal collection of books of national level personalities.

• Collection:
  • The collection of Bangladesh National Library is the nation's pride. The principal characteristic of its collection is that it covers all major disciplines and branches of human knowledge and is preserved in scientific manner. In addition to country's almost all publications the library has a large collection of foreign representational publications especially on Asian countries and more specific related to South Asian Studies. The library enriches its collection by various means i.e. acquiring publication under copyright act, purchase, institutional/personal donations, complimentary copies etc. the following are the National Library's collection data up to December 2010.

National Library of Bangladesh

• User's Service:
  • a) Reader Service: National Library provides reader's services. It has three reading rooms (one for Bengali materials, one for English materials and one for Newspapers) covering 8000 sft. space area. The library maintains both card and sheaf catalogue systems.
  • b) Reference Service: Reference service to individual and departments, institutions are rendered in the light of requirement.
  • c) Special Bibliography: National Library provides Special Bibliography compilation service on request to the potential research scholars of various universities/institutions.
  • d) Lending: Lending of books to the library members is yet to be introduced. However, government office, libraries, institutions as exception can avail the lending facilities for official purpose.
  • e) Photocopy Service: Members of the Library can have photo copy services for research purpose at the charge of Taka. 2.00 per impression of books and Taka 5.00 per impression of newspaper.
  • f) ISBN Service: For familiarizing Bangladesh's books internationally, ISBN distribution service is provided to the concerned publishers and individual authors from the National Library of Bangladesh.
  • g) Microfilm Service: Microfilm reading service on some selected subjects and areas are providing to the concerned research scholars in the light of the requirement.
  • h) Map Reader Service: One of the important services to the users is map reading service, which is given under special arrangement.
  • i) Internet/E-mail Browsing Service: National Library provides free internet/e-mail browsing service to the all kind of users.

• Ongoing Projects:
  • Ongoing project of National Library is Modernization of National Library of Bangladesh with the views of better user's services. Users should have right to internet access, e-book reading, color photocopier, on-line public access catalogue (OPAC) etc. The project include all technological advantages like 24/7 electricity facilities by solar system, air condition reading room and stack block, intercom facilities for all officers, digital library training for all officers/staffs and also the library should be protected by Close Circuit Camera. Primarily duration of the project is 2011-2012.

Ms. Tahmina Akter, Programming Officer, Directorate of Archives and Libraries,
National Library of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Phone : +880-2-9124070(off.), +880-2-8101234(res.), 01911503132(cell),
Fax: +880-2-9118704, +880-2-9135709
Email: tani.nlb@gmail.com, tahmina_nargis@yahoo.com