Jamaica Library Service

The Jamaica Library Service provides under the Ministry of Education and Youth, a Public Library Network and a School Library Network.  The organization is managed at two levels through a Central Statutory Body – the Jamaica Library Board and the local Parish Library Committees. 

The Service is organized with the administrative headquarters in Kingston and a network of service points located throughout thirteen (13) parishes, which are arranged in six (6) regions.  At the administrative level the organization is headed by a Director General who reports directly to the Board of Directors. 

At Headquarters, the organization is divided into different divisions with the mandate of organizing their specific activities for the islandwide network.  Each region is headed by a Regional Director who oversees the activities for the Parish Library Network and the School Library Network within that region. Each Parish Library Network is managed by a Parish Library Committee with a Senior Librarian having responsibility for each Parish Library Network.

The Service has responsibility for one hundred and twenty-four (124) public libraries and nine hundred and twenty-six (926) school libraries throughout the island. It is the only organization which provides free, unlimited public access to recorded information.  It also operates four hundred and eleven (411) mobile library stops as well as offers access points for twenty-two (22) special categories of persons.