List Of Public Libraries In Nairobi. We’ll examine a list of Nairobi public libraries in this article. Nairobi features a number of public libraries spread throughout the city’s perimeter as well as the city core. Unfortunately, the majority of these libraries are run by state agencies with little funding support, which makes it challenging for them to keep their book selections current. Nevertheless, they are a priceless resource for academics, holding some of the most remarkable African literature and early 1900s copies of local newspapers.
Here is a list of public libraries in Nairobi.
Kenya National Library Service (KNLS)
This library is located across from the NHIF Building in the Upper Hill neighborhood area. In 1974, it opened for business to the general public. The Kenyan government founded the Kenya National Library Service Board, a state corporation, with the goal of fostering a culture of reading by providing library and information services. Its headquarters are located there.
The services offered include reading rooms, book loans, Internet and bureau services (photocopying and internet access), access to Kenyan Daily newspapers, films, and public lectures on HIV/AIDS knowledge, Braille library services for the blind, and a mobile library that travels to the city’s periphery.
KNLS Entrance Fees
Adults must pay Ksh 20 per day for entry; children enter free of charge. With a membership, you can check out books for 14 days for Ksh 20 for adults and Ksh 5 for kids. Citizens must pay a registration cost of Ksh 300 and an annual charge of Ksh 100.
KNLS Opening Hours
The Maktaba Kuu building is open from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm on Saturday and from 8 am to 6.30 pm on Monday through Friday. Sundays and public holidays are off-limits.
KNLS Contact
Contact number: +254202739893/2739894/2739896.
KNLS Buruburu Public Library
This library is located on Mumias South Road in Buruburu Phase 2. It is a branch of the main KNLS library located in Nairobi’s community neighborhood.
Services: These include books and reading areas; photocopying and photo internet access; Internet and bureau services; access to Kenyan daily newspapers; films; public lectures on HIV/AIDS awareness; and Braille library services for the blind.
KNLS Buruburu Charges
- Registration fee: Ksh 300
- Annual fee Ksh 100
KNLS Buruburu Opening Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 6.30 pm
- Saturday, 8.30 am to 5.00 pm
- Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
KNLS Buruburu Contact
Email: [email protected]
Jomo Kenyatta Memorial Library, University of Nairobi
This library is located off University Way on the main campus of the University of Nairobi. It was constructed in the 1980s as a result of the Gandhi Memorial Library’s explosive expansion, which at some point made a larger space necessary.
Services: These consist of university theses, newspapers, journals, photocopies, Internet access, lending libraries, reading areas, and bureau services.
Jomo Kenyatta Memorial Library Charges
- Reading only – daily membership: Ksh 100, monthly membership Ksh 500.
- External borrowers – Ksh 500 plus a refundable deposit of Ksh 3000.
Hours of Operation for Jomo Kenyatta Memorial Library
open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
On Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
From Monday to Friday, on vacation 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays are closed.
Email address for the Jomo Kenyatta Memorial Library is [email protected].
East African Herbarium Library
Located within the Nairobi National Museum is this library. Since its relocation from the East African Community to Arusha, Tanzania in 1982, it has been involved in the development and management of botanical collections.
Founded in 1902 in Amani, Tanzania, the East African Herbarium (EA) maintains the largest botanical collection in tropical Africa. It now holds over 1,000,000 plant and fungal specimens. Collections of roots, rhizomes, woods, fruits and seeds too large for standard herbarium sheets are also maintained.
Services: These consist of a large collection of plants from different continents, reading areas, book and journal loans, and other reference materials.
Opening hours for the East African Herbarium Library are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Phone numbers for the East African Herbarium Library are 254 20 4448930/3 and 254 20 3742131/4.
Kenya National Archives
The Kenya National Archives is located across from the Hilton Hotel on Moi Avenue in the heart of the city. Despite being founded in 1956, this building moved to its current location in the 1970s and is currently home to an art gallery and library. The late Joseph Murumbi left behind a sizable collection of rare African books, which the government purchased in the 1980s and is currently on display in the library. Subject to the 30-year limit for government materials to be made public and your ability to navigate the Archives’ intricate cataloging system, public records and documents are also available for review.
Services: These consist of access to public records and documents, rare African literature, lending libraries, and reading rooms.
Kenya National Archives Fees
Membership fee each year: Ksh 200
National Archives of Kenya Hours of Operation: 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Saturdays from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays are closed.
Contact Number for Kenya National Archives: +254(0)20 2228959
+254(0)722 599212 on a mobile
contact [email protected] via email
Rahimtulla Trust Library, Library Information Support Services (LISS)
This library is located close to the Central Bus Station on Mfangano Street in the city center. The Rahimtulla Trust, an Ismailia organization, founded it in 1953 with the goal of acquiring books that would cover all disciplines and be accessible to readers from all backgrounds, regardless of race, religion, or faith.
Services: These consist of a portion dedicated to magazines, book loans, and reading areas.
Rahimtulla Trust Library Charges
- Subscription: daily Ksh 30, weekly Ksh 150, monthly Ksh 500, and annually Ksh 4000
Rahimtulla Trust Library Opening Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 6.00 pm
- Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays
Rahimtulla Trust Library Contact
Phone: +254(0)20 2312822
McMillan Memorial Library
This library is located near to Jamia Mosque on Banda Street in the heart of the city. It was founded in 1931 by Lord William Northrup MacMillan’s widow as a memorial. During the colonial era, Ol Donyo Sabuk and the adjacent lands belonged to American big game hunter Lord MacMillan in Kenya. Before the Nairobi City Council took control of the library in 1962 and turned it into the headquarters of the Nairobi City Library Services, it was originally solely available for use by members of the European community.
Services: These consist of a periodical section containing newspapers and journals going back to 1906, reading rooms, book loans, and an Africana department with some rare volumes.
McMillan Memorial Library Charges
- Annual subscription: Adults Ksh100, Children Ksh 50
- Researchers: Ksh 200 a week
McMillan Memorial Library Opening Hours
- Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 6.00 pm
- Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays
McMillan Memorial Library Contact
Phone: (254) 020 721 2651
