About Zambia
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Area: 752,610 km²
Population: 21,314,956
Libraries (Service Points): 45
Libraries in Zambia
The Library system in Zambia is decentralized. Libraries belong to different ministries and there is no one single body that regulates or coordinates the provision of library services in the country. Types of libraries include public, academic, school and special libraries.
Public libraries are in responsibility of two main ministries. Ministry of General Education, through Zambia Library Service, manages seven main libraries and Ministry of Local Government through the various city and/or municipal councils are responsible for ten main libraries with a number of branches. Lubuto Library Partners, a non-governmental organization, manages two public libraries with a third scheduled to be opened in August 2018. Zambia has two community libraries that fall in the category of public libraries.
Academic libraries are in tertiary institutions (colleges and universities) and are managed by the respective institutions. Some schools have school libraries whilst others do not. The number of school libraries has been rising steadily. Zambia Library Service is responsible for supporting school libraries in the country.
Some organizations have special libraries that provide information needs for the organizations they serve.
Zambia does not have a library legislation. Efforts have in the past been made to come up with library legislation through the Ministry of General Education.
Ministry of General Education finances provincial public libraries under Zambia Library Service. Individual councils under Ministry of Local government fund the public libraries under their councils. Lubuto Library Partners finance their public libraries. Parent institutions fund academic libraries where as school libraries are supported by Ministry of General Education through Zambia Library Service. Special libraries are financed by the organizations they belong to.
The biggest concern in the profession is the enactment of library legislation.
Some objectives of the Library and Information Association of Zambia (LIAZ) include:
- To unite all persons interested and engaged in library, documentation and information science by such means as conferences, seminars, meetings and symposia, and to promote research.
- To improve all standards of librarianship, documentation, bibliography and information work in Zambia.
- To affiliate or otherwise associate formally with any organisation in Zambia or elsewhere having objectives in whole or in part similar to those of the LIAZ.
- To advise and lobby government on issues relating to library and information services in Zambia.
Recent achievements include:
- Library projects by LIAZ through the support of African Library and Information Association and Institution (AfLIA) and its supporting partners.
- Twenty-four public librarians are benefiting from Electronic Information for Libraries project through a Capacity Building programme that will empower librarians with skills to use ICT to improve service provision and develop new library services.
- Ten council libraries have benefited from Worldreader project where each library has received training and 50 e-readers loaded with local and English books. This is to support reading of children from 0 to 12 years old.
- Zambia has also seen the establishment of two public libraries; Lubuto Mthunzi American Youth Library (2017), Kamanga Public Library (2018) and a third Lubuto Public Library to be opened in Choma, Southern Province in August, 2018.
Library data (Totals)
|
Library type |
Total |
National |
Academic |
Public |
Community |
School |
Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Libraries (Service Points)
Library service point is a fixed or mobile facility through which library provides a service to its users. Central libraries, branch libraries, mobile libraries, and external service points located in different geographical locations and managed by one administrative unit are all each individual service points. Number of libraries is the total number of central/main libraries, branch libraries, external service points and mobile libraries. 45 |
45 2018 |
— |
— |
45 2018 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Main Libraries
Central/main library is usually part or those parts of an administrative unit where the main administrative functions and the important parts of the library collection and services are located. An administrative unit comprising several branch libraries does not necessarily include a central library. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Branch Libraries
Branch library is a part of a larger administrative unit providing, in separate quarters, a service for a particular user group (e.g. children, faculties) or for a locally defined clientele. Institute, departmental and other affiliated libraries are included. Mobile libraries and external service points are excluded. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
External Service Points
External service point is a point away from library premises at which a certain service is regularly offered to users. This includes places within a locality at which library material is deposited for informal circulation to a restricted group of users but without other library services, for example, old people’s homes, community centres, collections for hospital patients. Mobile libraries and their stops are not counted as external service points. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Mobile Libraries
Mobile library is a library, sometimes a division of a public library, using transport means to provide documents and services directly to users as an alternative to access on library premises. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Libraries (Administrative Units)
Administrative unit is any independent library, or group of libraries, under a single directorate or a single administration. The term “independent” does not imply legal or financial independence but only that the library is a recognisably separate unit, typically within a larger organisation. The administrative unit can be a single library or a larger organisation, typically containing a central/main library, branch libraries and administrative functions. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Libraries with Internet Access
Libraries (Service Points) that provides internet access from at least one workstation available to the public regardless of whether access is free, and/or provides a wireless network allowing users to connect to the Internet. 12 |
12 2018 |
— |
— |
12 2018 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Full-Time Staff
Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff are all library employees who work for the library in return for payment. It includes professional staff, qualified staff, project staff and assistants. Other staff (library employees who work in security and on domestic duties, for example, cleaners, porters, caretakers and catering staff) and volunteers are excluded. 135 |
135 2017 |
— |
— |
135 2017 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Volunteers
Volunteer is a person working on library tasks without payment. In counting volunteers, the concept of headcount is used. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Registered Users
Registered user is a person or organisation registered with a library in order to use its collection and/or services within or away from the library. Users may be registered upon their request or automatically when enrolling in the institutions. 4,000 |
4,000 2017 |
— |
— |
4,000 2017 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Physical Visits
Physical visit is a person (individual) entering the library premises. 55,787 |
55,787 2017 |
— |
— |
55,787 2017 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Physical Loans
Physical loan is a direct lending or delivery transaction of an item in physical form. Physical loans include loans of items in non-electronic form (e.g. books) and loans electronic documents on a physical carrier (e.g. CD-ROM). — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
eBook Loans
eBook is a non-serial digital document, licenced or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and similar to a print book (monograph). eBooks can be lent to users either on portable devices (eBook readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Audio Book Loans
Audio book (or talking book) is a sound recording of readings of a book, magazine, or newspaper, usually designed for use by visually impaired people. Audio books can be lent to users either on a physical carrier or other device, or by transmitting the content to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Downloads
Download is a content unit that is successfully requested from a library-provided online service or other internet service (e.g. database, electronic serial or digital document). — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Library data (Per 1M People)
|
Library type |
Total |
National |
Academic |
Public |
Community |
School |
Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Libraries (Service Points)
45
Library service point is a fixed or mobile facility through which library provides a service to its users. Central libraries, branch libraries, mobile libraries, and external service points located in different geographical locations and managed by one administrative unit are all each individual service points. Number of libraries is the total number of central/main libraries, branch libraries, external service points and mobile libraries. |
2.1 2018 |
— |
— |
2.1 2018 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Main Libraries
—
Central/main library is usually part or those parts of an administrative unit where the main administrative functions and the important parts of the library collection and services are located. An administrative unit comprising several branch libraries does not necessarily include a central library. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Branch Libraries
—
Branch library is a part of a larger administrative unit providing, in separate quarters, a service for a particular user group (e.g. children, faculties) or for a locally defined clientele. Institute, departmental and other affiliated libraries are included. Mobile libraries and external service points are excluded. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
External Service Points
—
External service point is a point away from library premises at which a certain service is regularly offered to users. This includes places within a locality at which library material is deposited for informal circulation to a restricted group of users but without other library services, for example, old people’s homes, community centres, collections for hospital patients. Mobile libraries and their stops are not counted as external service points. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Mobile Libraries
—
Mobile library is a library, sometimes a division of a public library, using transport means to provide documents and services directly to users as an alternative to access on library premises. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Libraries (Administrative Units)
—
Administrative unit is any independent library, or group of libraries, under a single directorate or a single administration. The term “independent” does not imply legal or financial independence but only that the library is a recognisably separate unit, typically within a larger organisation. The administrative unit can be a single library or a larger organisation, typically containing a central/main library, branch libraries and administrative functions. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Libraries with Internet Access
12
Libraries (Service Points) that provides internet access from at least one workstation available to the public regardless of whether access is free, and/or provides a wireless network allowing users to connect to the Internet. |
0.6 2018 |
— |
— |
0.6 2018 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Full-Time Staff
135
Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff are all library employees who work for the library in return for payment. It includes professional staff, qualified staff, project staff and assistants. Other staff (library employees who work in security and on domestic duties, for example, cleaners, porters, caretakers and catering staff) and volunteers are excluded. |
6.3 2017 |
— |
— |
6.3 2017 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Volunteers
—
Volunteer is a person working on library tasks without payment. In counting volunteers, the concept of headcount is used. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Registered Users
4,000
Registered user is a person or organisation registered with a library in order to use its collection and/or services within or away from the library. Users may be registered upon their request or automatically when enrolling in the institutions. |
187.7 2017 |
— |
— |
187.7 2017 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Physical Visits
55,787
Physical visit is a person (individual) entering the library premises. |
2,617.3 2017 |
— |
— |
2,617.3 2017 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Physical Loans
—
Physical loan is a direct lending or delivery transaction of an item in physical form. Physical loans include loans of items in non-electronic form (e.g. books) and loans electronic documents on a physical carrier (e.g. CD-ROM). |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
eBook Loans
—
eBook is a non-serial digital document, licenced or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and similar to a print book (monograph). eBooks can be lent to users either on portable devices (eBook readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Audio Book Loans
—
Audio book (or talking book) is a sound recording of readings of a book, magazine, or newspaper, usually designed for use by visually impaired people. Audio books can be lent to users either on a physical carrier or other device, or by transmitting the content to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Downloads
—
Download is a content unit that is successfully requested from a library-provided online service or other internet service (e.g. database, electronic serial or digital document). |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Contextual data
|
Population |
Zambia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Population Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates. |
21,314,956 2024 |
1,291,044,964 2024 |
8,141,808,945 2024 |
|
Proportion of Population Younger than 15 Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population. |
73.3% 2024 |
72.5% 2024 |
38.0% 2024 |
|
Proportion of Population Older than 64 Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population. |
3.4% 2024 |
5.7% 2024 |
15.7% 2024 |
|
Population Growth Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. |
2.8% 2024 |
2 2024 |
1.0% 2024 |
|
Population Density Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes. |
27.9% 2023 |
51.5% 2022 |
61.6% 2022 |
|
Urban Population Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division. |
45.5% 2024 |
44.1% 2024 |
57.6% 2024 |
|
Information Infrastructure |
Zambia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet Users Internet users are individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc. |
33.0% 2023 |
33.6% 2024 |
71.2% 2024 |
|
Female Internet Users This indicator refers to female individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc. |
13.2% 2018 |
29.4% 2024 |
68.2% 2024 |
|
Male Internet Users This indicator refers to male individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc. |
- |
29.4% |
- |
|
Access to Electricity Access to electricity is the percentage of population with access to electricity. Electrification data are collected from industry, national surveys and international sources. |
51.1% 2023 |
53.3% 2023 |
91.6% 2023 |
|
Economy, Poverty, and Employment |
Zambia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GDP per Capita This indicator provides values for gross domestic product (GDP) expressed in current international dollars, converted by purchasing power parities (PPPs). PPPs account for the different price levels across countries and thus PPP-based comparisons of economic output are more appropriate for comparing the output of economies and the average material well-being of their inhabitants than exchange-rate based comparisons. Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. This series has been linked to produce a consistent time series to counteract breaks in series over time due to changes in base years, source data and methodologies. Thus, it may not be comparable with other national accounts series in the database for historical years. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. The PPP conversion factor is a currency conversion factor and a spatial price deflator. PPPs convert different currencies to a common currency and, in the process of conversion, equalize their purchasing power by eliminating the differences in price levels between countries, thereby allowing volume or output comparisons of GDP and its expenditure components. |
4,215 2024 |
5,517.4 2024 |
24,405 2024 |
|
Poverty Rate Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.00 a day at 2021 purchasing power adjusted prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions. |
71.7% 2022 |
46.0% 2024 |
10.3% 2024 |
|
Inequality Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality. |
51.5% 2022 |
0.0% |
- |
|
Unemployment Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country. |
5.9% 2023 |
0.0% |
6.2% 2021 |
|
Inactive Youth The share of youth not in education, employment or training (also known as “the NEET rate”) conveys the number of young persons not in education, employment or training as a percentage of the total youth population. Youth not in education are those who were neither enrolled in school nor in a formal training program (e.g. vocational training). For the purposes of this indicator, youth is defined as all persons between the ages of 15 and 24 (inclusive). percentage of youth population |
28.9% 2023 |
0.0% |
- |
|
Education and Literacy |
Zambia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Education Spending General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments. percentage of GDP |
4.1% 2023 |
3.3% 2023 |
3.5% 2023 |
|
Adult Literacy Rate Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of people ages 15 and above |
82.0% 2023 |
3.3% 2023 |
87.7% 2024 |
|
Female Adult Literacy Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of females ages 15 and above |
77.2% 2023 |
62.7% 2024 |
84.6% 2024 |
|
Male Adult Literacy Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of males ages 15 and above |
77.2% 2023 |
74.9% 2024 |
90.9% 2024 |
|
Female Youth Literacy Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of females ages 15-24 |
85.2% 2023 |
76.6% 2024 |
92.0% 2024 |
|
Male Youth Literacy Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of males ages 15-24 |
86.3% 2023 |
81.3% 2024 |
94.1% 2024 |
|
Research and Innovation |
Zambia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Research Spending Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development. percentage of GDP |
0.3% 2008 |
- |
2.7% 2022 |
|
Researchers The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development. per million people |
42 2008 |
- |
1,516 2018 |
|
Scientific Articles Article counts refer to publications from a selection of conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals from Scopus in science and engineering fields, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics Taxonomy of Disciplines. fractional count |
344 2022 |
- |
3,338,192 2022 |
National Library Associations
Library and Information Association of Zambia (LIAZ)
Main objectives of LIAZ are: 1) To unite all persons interested and engaged in library, documentation and information science by such means as conferences, seminars, meetings and symposia, and to promote research. 2) To improve all standards of librarianship, documentation, bibliography and information work in Zambia. 3) To advise and lobby government on issues relating to library and information services in Zambia. Currently it has 150 – 200 members. LIAZ aims to promote professional capacity development of librarians in Zambia, facilitate the provision of relevant library services, and to advocate for library legislation.
National Library
There is no information available.
Policy Making Institutions
Ministry of General Education
The Ministry of General Education, through Zambia Library Service (ZLS), manages seven main public libraries. The Ministry is responsible for formulating policies for provincial libraries. ZLS is a department of the Teacher Education and Specialized Services (TESS) Directorate of the Ministry of General Education. The mission of ZLS is to inculcate a culture of reading and using information for personal and national development through the provision of library and information service to the public, schools colleges and teacher resources centers. It provides library services through provincial public libraries and supports school libraries and teacher education college libraries by providing library resources and training of library staff.
Ministry of Local Government
The Ministry through the various city councils is responsible for ten main libraries with a number of branches. The services are decentralized and each council that has a library is independently responsible for policy formulation for those libraries under their councils.
Library Support Organisations
Zambia Library Consortium (ZALICO)
Zambia Library Consortium promotes Open Access in the country and builds capacities among its member organizations to set up and maintain Open Access repositories. It facilitates the access to affordable electronic resources to participating institutions.
Room to Read Zambia
Room to Read is a leading nonprofit for children’s literacy and girls’ education across Asia and Africa. In Zambia, the Room to Read is establishing, renovating and supporting school libraries as well as promoting literacy.
Lubuto Library Partners (LLP)
Lubuto Library Partners is an innovative development organization that builds the capacity of public libraries to create opportunities for equitable education and poverty reduction. Its mission is to enlighten and enrich the lives of children and youth in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those not in school and highly vulnerable. In Zambia, it manages two enduring open-access libraries whose design is inspired by traditional and contemporary social, economic and cultural patterns and which freely offer comprehensive collections of well-chosen books and technology resources. These libraries serve as safe havens and are the center for dynamic library programming offering education, psychosocial support and self-expression through reading, music, art, drama, computers, mentoring and other activities. A third library is scheduled to be opened in August, 2018
National Policy for Libraries
There is no information available.
Library Law
There is no information available.
Legal Deposit Law
Printed Publication Act CAP 161 of 1995 Edition
Zambian legal deposit legislation at present only covers printed publications, i.e. books, pamphlets, newspapers etc. However this Act is under review, with the view to include the non-print publications. The National Archives of Zambia responsibilities with regards to deposited materials are to preserve and facilitate lawful access to information by the general public which is kept in the special library and access to this storage facility is restricted. Access to deposited materials is granted through Library Assistants, who retrieve materials on behalf of the researchers, therefore access is only on-site and is open to researchers as well as the general public.
Copyright Law & Library Exceptions and Limitations
The Copyright and Performance Rights Act No. 25 of 2010 (Amendment)
Exceptions and limitations for libraries
The Act has a provision that covers basic library activities i.e. lending, copying and preservation. The copyright law has provisions for the copying and preservation of materials. A provision for copying and preservation is only given for librarians and archivists under set conditions i.e. to replace a copy that the institution may not be able to afford, and under the express permission of the author etc. The reforms or planned changes will be done in line with the Constitution and the Marrakesh Treaty.
Professional Qualification Requirements
There is no information available.
Education
Education
Zambia has four training institution providing LIS programmes. These include University of Zambia providing BA, MA and Phd programmes in LIS. Barotseland University provides a BA programme in LIS. Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce provides Certificate and Diploma programmes in LIS. Zambia ICT College provides a Certificate programme in LIS.
Professional Publications
Library and Information Association of Zambia Journal
This is a peer reviewed journal published once a year. The journal includes a variety of research topics. LIAZ Journal publishes original manuscripts from both international and local scholars on various areas of LIS including knowledge management, records management and archival administration, and information and communication technologies. Its publications include original research papers, short communication papers, concept papers, and review articles (literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses), perspective papers, and book reviews.
Zambia Journal of Library and Information Science (ZAJLIS)
ZAJLIS, ISSN: 23106395, is published biannually by the Department of Library and Information Science, School of Education, University of Zambia. ZAJLIS publishes original manuscripts from both international and local scholars on various areas of LIS including knowledge management, informetrics, records management and archival administration, and information and communication technologies. Its publications include original research papers, short communication papers, concept papers, and review articles (literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses), perspective papers, and book reviews. The Journal is being transformed into an online journal this year using the Open Journal Systems (OJS).
Professional Events
National Library Week
This takes place annually in the month of June. The purpose of National Library Week is to create public awareness on the importance of libraries by giving an opportunity to libraries, documentation/information centers to showcase their resources, facilities, events and services through different programs and events to the country. The event also provides the communities with the opportunity to find out about the wide range of services which libraries and information services offer as well as recognize the vital role they play in research and education.
Annual General Conference
The Annual General Conference takes place every third week of July. The purpose is to bring together library and information professionals to share best practices in the profession. The conference is always preceded by a pre-conference seminar where the Library and Information Association of Zambia identifies some training or discussions that are of national importance to the profession. The conference targets librarians, records officers, archivists, registry officers and any other persons providing information in an organized way.
Library Location Resources
No information available