National Library of Antigua and Barbuda Antigua Public Library

Overview

The National Public Library of Antigua and Barbuda, commonly known as the Antigua Public Library, is the national library of Antigua and Barbuda. Located in St. John's on Hailes Promenade, the library serves the public as a free repository of books, periodicals, digital media, and community services. It is the island nation's primary public library institution.

History and Founding

The library was founded in 1830 as a private venture. Its early purpose, as described in an 1832 report, was the gradual formation of a permanent general library and associated reading room. An act of parliament subsequently established the Antigua Library Society as a corporate body. An earthquake in 1843 partially destroyed the library building and ruined its proprietors, leading the government to assume ownership in 1854. Trustees managed the institution thereafter, with their powers expanded in 1871 and oversight transferred to the City Board in 1900.

A major earthquake in 1974 rendered the original wooden library building structurally unsound, and the library was relocated temporarily to a building on Market Street, where it operated in cramped conditions for decades. The library's long-displaced state — and the sign on the damaged building reading 'Repairs are pending' — was memorably described by Jamaica Kincaid in her 1988 essay A Small Place.

Construction of a modern replacement building began in the late 1980s but was repeatedly delayed. A $6.45 million contract was signed in 2008, and on 2 September 2014, the new purpose-built library was dedicated and opened to the public. The two-story, approximately 20,000-square-foot building is located on Hailes Promenade adjacent to the National Archives and the Botanical Gardens.

Collections and Holdings

The library provides a variety of materials including fiction, non-fiction, and large print books; DVDs; e-books; magazines and newspapers. Special collections include a West Indian Collection and an African Collection. The library also offers a children's library, a reference section, internet access, and a digital media section. Its capacity is approximately 75,000 volumes.

Access and Usage

The library is open to the public free of charge and provides lending, reference, and internet services to all ages. It also organizes community programming including summer reading programs and educational events.