This subdivision of the National Library of Namibia renders bibliographic
services in order to fulfill the library’s mission of supporting
information provision to all Namibians and Namibian libraries.
Through bibliographic services the library serves as the national
bibliographic agency.
• Administering a legal deposit system,
which is entrenched in legislation;
• Ensuring that the National Library serves
as the National Bibliographic Agency;
• Compiling, with the assistance of allied
information agencies and libraries, various bibliographic databases
to facilitate optimal access to Namibian information resources,
and make such databases available through networking systems;
• Compiling, with the co-operation of allied
information agencies and publishers, information materials and
related matters, e.g. book production statistics;
• Acquisition of materials on general topics
by purchase;
• Processing of all materials acquired by
the National Library; and
• Ensuring that the National Library acts as the International
Standard Book Number (ISBN) Agency for Namibia.
Bibliographic records of materials in the National Library of
Namibia are stored and maintained on different databases made
available through the use of CDS/ISIS/WINISIS software.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASES
1.
NAMLIT
This database aims at contributing towards universal bibliographic
control by making Namibian and Namibian related published materials,
periodical articles and theses electronically available. At present
this database contains over 60 000 entries. The NAMLIT database
can also be viewed on the University of Namibia website, www.unam.na.
2. NLC
This database contains materials on general topics other than
on and about Namibia. Currently, there are over 8 000 entries
and it is through NLC that the National Library holdings are added
on SABINET.
3.
SABINET
The National Library of Namibia aims at providing information
to all regardless of their class, gender, age or origin. Hence,
it is a member of the Southern African Bibliographic Network (SABINET),
comprising members from Southern African countries’ libraries
including other libraries in Namibia. Each member library makes
available its resources to the SABINET central database for information
and resource sharing among the members of the network.
4. NLP
This database is aimed at storing bibliographic records of general
periodicals which are not on Namibia or Namibia related. At present
the database contains close to 3 000 entries.
5. SECS
This contains bibliographic records of both general and Namibian
periodicals. It has 5 572 entries which are currently in the process
of being updated.
6. LCC
This database is for materials housed in the Last Copy Collection
which preserves older or rarely used literature diverted to the
National Library from other libraries or materials withdrawn from
its own collections. It has over 7 000 entries.
7.
OPAC
Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) contains records of all
the databases in the National Library of Namibia. There are over
95 000 entries on the National Library of Namibia OPAC.
8. NAMIBIA NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
(NNB)
The objective of the NNB is to contribute towards universal bibliographic
control by cataloguing the Namibian published materials according
to international bibliographic standards. The arrangement is by
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC 22) and cataloguing is according
to the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR II). The Library
of Congress Subject Headings, edition 20 are used in the preparation
of entries. Indexes to the NNB include Author, title, series,
subject and publisher. It is available on CDROM on request.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOK NUMBER AGENCY FOR NAMIBIA
The National Library of Namibia is the national International
Standard Book Number (ISBN) agency for Namibia and thus, issues
ISBNs to all publishers and provides the International ISBN Agency
publishers information for their world directory.
On the first of January 2007 the ISBN will change from a 10 to
13 digit numbering system. This far-reaching change to ISBN 13
affects the National Library, all the publishers and virtually
everyone in the book supply chain in Namibia directly. The National
Library is responsible for the facilitation and implementation
of the change-over from the 10 to the 13 digit ISBN numbering
system in Namibia. Publishers who did not receive our communiqué
in this regard should contact us immediately
The National Library of Namibia also facilitates on behalf of
the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) Agency the issuance
of ISSNs. Publishers in Namibia who are producing a periodical
for the first time should request for the ISSN through the National
Library.