Jamaica Library Service Headquarters

The Jamaica Library Service was established in 1948 and provides, under the Ministry of Education and Youth, a Library Service free to the public and to schools island-wide. The organization is managed at two levels through a Central Library Board and a local Committee in each Parish.

The Jamaica Library Board is the central statutory body responsible for the island policy and the management and control of a coordinated library service. Similarly, the committee in each parish network provides oversight to the operations in each network.  The organization provides library coverage through an administrative headquarters in Kingston and a network of 111 public libraries, 285 mobile library stops and 898 school libraries throughout the thirteen (13) parishes which are divided into six regions that are aligned to the regional structure of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

These are:

Region 1 – Kingston and St. Andrew
Region 2 – Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary
Region 3 – Trelawny and St. Ann
Region 4 – St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland
Region 5 – St. Elizabeth and Manchester
Region 6 – St. Catherine and Clarendon

Service is administered to the public through the Public Library Network and to schools through the School Library Network.

The Public Library Network has the responsibility of meeting the information, education and recreation needs of the public. These needs are met by the undertaking of a variety of programmes, services and activities.

The School Library Network provides resource material, training and advice to 898 school libraries. The categories of schools served include:

29 Infant
657 Primary
47 All Age
50 Primary and Junior High
102 High
9 Technical High
4 Vocational /Special Schools