National Library of South Africa (NLSA)

The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) is the custodian and provider of the nation’s key knowledge resources. The NLSA is mandated by the National Library of South Africa Act to collect and preserve documentary heritage and to make it accessible, thereby ensuring that knowledge is preserved for posterity and that information is available to all.

The NLSA’s core functions are to: build up a complete collection of published documents emanating from or relating to South Africa; maintain and extend any other collections of published and unpublished documents, with the emphasis on documents emanating from or relating to Southern Africa; promote the optimal management of collections of published documents held in South African libraries as a national resource; render a national bibliographic service and act as the national bibliographic agency; promote optimal access to published documents, nationally and internationally; provide reference and information services, nationally and internationally; act as the national preservation library and provide conservation services on a national basis; promote awareness and appreciation of the national published documentary heritage, and promote information awareness and information literacy.