Parliamentary Library: A Brief Introduction

Background

Parliamentary Library is a knowledge center for trusted sources of information, analysis and advice for the members of Federal Parliament of Nepal in carrying out their work accurately, timely and effectively, and informing the decision they take. Although, the history of the Parliamentary Library in Nepal is not long as compare to other matured Parliamentary democracy, it was established in 1951 as 'Record Section' of 'Gallery Baithak'. The Gallery Baithak was built by the Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher Ja.Ba.Ra in 1901 in the premises of Singhadurbar, Kathamndu, which was an exemplary building of Greco-Roman architecture in Nepal. Later, it had been using as the parliamentary hall till the 2006/7. At the time of the Prime Minister Juddha Shamsher Rana, some of the parts of the Gallery hall was developed as the Preliminary Library. At the very beginning, 250 books were installed along with the book racks in the southern part of that Parliament House in Singhadarbar in 1951. A significant numbers of actions were taken for further enrichment of the library procuring most of the library resources after the first democratic parliamentary election of 1957. After that, the name of the library was changed into Sallahkar Sabha Pustakalay followed by the name Rastriya Panchayat Pustakalay in 1960. Similarly, after the restoration of Multi-Party Democracy in Nepal 1990, it was renamed as Samsad Library and books of various subjects were added. In 2006, the library was changed into Legislature-Parliament Library followed by the Federal Parliament Library in 2017. It has been existing in different names and forms since its establishment. Parliament library is one of the richest library in Singhadurbar to date. In the organization chart of Federal Parliament Secretariat, Library Section is under the Division of Parliamentary Study and Research.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Parliamentary Library are as follows:

• To collect, organize, manage and disseminate the information related to parliament, laws and politics to the members of parliament and the staff of Federal Parliament Secretariat.
• To protect, preserve and maintain the available library resources.
• To provide information on the subject of national importance and contemporary issues upon the request.
• To coordinate, collaborate, outreach and exchange the available resources regarding information, expertise and future prospects with other libraries at both national and international level.
• To preserve the intellectual heritage of parliamentarians and intellectual property rights of the concerned.

Library Users

There is a target of 711 member including 334 (Members of Parliament) and 377 (Staff) to use the library resources. At the same time, anyone who are interested on available resource of this library may use them as per the rules and regulations of the library.