History
The Public Library Service began in Port of Spain in 1851, the Carnegie Free Library was established in San Fernando in 1919, and the Central Library Service was introduced at the Ministry of Education in 1949. These three organisations were responsible for the administration of library services in Trinidad and Tobago until 1998. On 18 September 1998, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago repealed the Acts that governed these three separate bodies and established the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) as a Statutory Authority under the NALIS Act, No. 18 of 1998 entitled:
- “An Act to establish the National Library and Information System, to provide for the development and co-ordination of all library and information services in Trinidad and Tobago and related matters.”
This Act brought together the administration and management of all libraries in the public sector, that is, public, special and school libraries, under an independent Board - the NALIS Authority. The three (3) existing Public Libraries (the Public Library of Trinidad, the Carnegie Free Library and the Central Library of Trinidad and Tobago) and their resources of buildings and stock were transferred to the new Authority.
The Act also gave to NALIS the responsibility to manage the national human resources of library and information science personnel in Public Service bodies; this was brought about through the transfer of staff from the Public Service and the Statutory Authorities Service Commissions to NALIS.
Under the Act, NALIS has the authority generally to administer funds allocated by Parliament, raise funds, recruit and manage staff and manage all resources and library infrastructure, such as buildings and bookmobiles.
NALIS cooperates with libraries in Tobago that fall under the Tobago House of Assembly.
Read more about this topic: National Library And Information System
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