Mission

The department seeks to provide an all rounded quality library and information service that meets and exceeds our clients’ expectations. This is achieved through a well-coordinated, consultative selection and acquisition process and systematic dissemination of relevant information resources to the users of Parliament of Zimbabwe library.

Establishment and functions

The Library is one of the departments forming the Directorate of Information Services and is headed by a Director, who reports to the Chief  Director, Information Services. The library was established in in 1923, making it one of the oldest departments.

Function

The main function of Parliament of Zimbabwe library is to contribute towards the management and timely delivery of valuable, reliable and relevant information services to Senators, Members of The National Assembly, Officers of Parliament and the public they represent.

Membership

Membership is open and free to Senators, Members of The National Assembly, Officers of Parliament and approved external users.

Location

The library has two sections that occupy two separate areas of the House

  • Main library – Ground floor room 83C
  • Law section / Reading Room – Ground floor room 19

Collection

Main Library

  • Books on political, economic and social issues including other subject specific disciplines
  • Pamphlets, serial publications and bound material
  • Parliamentary debates, reports and current serials.
  • Reference section has a rich collection of dictionaries, encyclopedias, statistical information and collection of Zimbabwean stamps, maps published by the surveyor general, atlases, gazettes, journal and yearbooks.

Law Library/Reading Room

  • Parliamentary, legal and official material
  • Approximately 1600 reference law books
  • Court judgments, statutes, Zimbabwean Government Gazettes, Law reports, (e.g. Zimbabwe Law Reports and South African Law journal)
  • Reports on parastatals and government departments
  • Current and back issues of locally published newspapers
  • Computerised newspaper database (ZIMPRESS) that captures keywords on newspaper articles about the country on social, political and economic issues backdated to July 2002
  • Information on HIV/AIDS (Aids Corner)

Specific library services offered

Loans/ Issuing of library materials

  • MPs and Officers of Parliament are allowed to borrow two books at any one given time from the Main library for a period of 14 days
  • Approved users from outside are not allowed to borrow books even from the main library but ca use the materials for reference only
  • Reservation can be done for books out on loan through contacts with library staff.

Internet Facility

  • Law library provides free Internet services to MPs and other approved Researchers.
  • Other officers of Parliament use the Main Library. Reference Services
  • Specialized reference and information services on all aspects of library and information services
  • Providing access to backdated newspaper articles through a computerized database system. Interlibrary loan (ILL)
  • The library is not self- sufficient in providing all required information. Materials not found in the library but held by other libraries in the country can be accessible through interlibrary lending. Libraries that we cooperate with include USA Public Affairs Section, National Archives, UZ Library and many others

Referral Service

  • Users may be referred to other libraries for information or materials not available in the library.

Information literacy skills

  • Use of the catalogue and other information retrieval tools
  • Information Communication Technologies e.g. the Internet and its associated applications such as email and online searching.

Membership

  • Institutional Member of the Zimbabwe Library Association

Hours of service

  • The library operates from Monday to Friday between 08.30am and 16.30pm (exclusive of lunch hour)
  • When Parliament is sitting the library will open until adjournment of the House.