More Jamaicans Encouraged to Visit the National Library

Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna, is encouraging more Jamaicans to visit and make use of the opportunities offered at the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ), to learn more about the country's culture and history.

“The work that you are doing here is phenomenal and I would really appreciate if more Jamaicans come, see and learn about our history, the journey that we have made as a people, and even to see what we do with very small resources,” Miss Hanna said.  

She was speaking at the unveiling of the NLJ’s new logo, on March 14, at the library’s East Street office. She also toured the entity.

The Minister also encouraged private sector persons who want to give back something to Jamaica, to do so through the National Library of Jamaica.

“I think the national library is one of those symbols that we can stand very proud on as Jamaicans. The rich history that you have sitting here and what you are able to collect is truly remarkable,” Miss Hanna told the staff.

For her part, Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Jamaica, Winsome Hudson, noted that the NLJ is a national institution that Jamaicans need to see and to consult.

“The material here helps us to understand who we are as a people, and who we are as a nation. When you look at the resources here, you get to see how we have been evolving as a nation. It is also the place where you can just come and take a look at the newspaper for the day you were born…you may be very pleasantly surprised and amused at what that headline was,” Mrs. Hudson said.

She pointed out that the new logo, ‘Explore, Discover, Connect’ sums up what the National Library is about.

“Jamaicans are being encouraged to come here and explore their history, connect with their past and their future and to discover things they have never known before. The colour is a combination of the national colours, but with a different shade in the green, black and gold to emphasise our national significance. We also have red in it to symbolise life giving,” Mrs. Hudson said.

The National Library of Jamaica is the premier library for fostering and promoting the nation's knowledge of its history, heritage and information sources. 

By Latonya Linton, JIS Reporter