Directory Information Library: The National Library of Nigeria Address: 4 Wesley St, PMB 12626, Lagos Contact: Telephone: 2600220 Fax: (1) 631563 Telex: 21746 Http: E-mail:

History & Collections


Established under the National Library Act of 1964 (superseded by the National Library Act of 1970), the National Library of Nigeria (NLN has headquarters in Lagos and branches so far in 14 states. It holds, approximately 666,600 volumes, including monographs, rare publications of the colonial period, and old Nigerian newspaper files, as well as, official government publications and national periodicals. A reference library, it is the nation's service center for receipt of legal documents. The NLN publishes the National Bibliography of Nigeria and maintains, on cards, the National Union Catalogue. In 1971 it published the National Union List of Serials in Nigerian Libraries. A magnificent multi-million-dollar National Library headquarters complex in Abuja is planned for completion in the early 1990s.


Statistics:


f. 1964; 12 brs; 140,000 vols in main library, 18,000 at branches; special collections of Nigerian and UK government publications, UN documents, Rhodes House Library Collection (private papers of past colonial civil servants), Ranfurly Library Collection; depository for UN, OAU and Canadian publs; Chair. FRANCIS Z. GANA; National Librarian Alhaji MU'AZU H. WALI.

Sources:

The World Encyclopedia of Learning, 49th Edition, Europa Publications Limited: London, p.1094
World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services, American Library Association: Chicago, p.628
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