National Library and Archives of Bhutan Library and Archives Division, Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development

Overview

The Library and Archives Division is a division within the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development (DCDD) of the Royal Government of Bhutan. It administers the National Library and Archives of Bhutan (NLAB), located at Kawangjangsa in Thimphu, which functions as the country's national library, national archives, and memory bank. The institution preserves Bhutan's textual, documentary, and cultural heritage, with particular emphasis on traditional religious manuscripts, historical records, and Dzongkha-language materials.

History and Founding

The National Library of Bhutan was established in 1967 under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Ashi Phuntsho Choden. It was initially housed within the central tower of Trashichhodzong in Thimphu before moving to Changangkha and then to its permanent purpose-built building at Kawangjangsa, inaugurated and consecrated as a lhakhang (temple) on November 23, 1984, by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. The building is a four-storey, eight-cornered structure in the form of a Bhutanese Dzong tower. The Legal Deposit Act of 1999 established a legal framework for collecting, preserving, and managing Bhutan's documentary heritage.

Collections and Holdings

The NLAB holds a large collection of traditional religious texts (pecha) and manuscripts, including xylograph prints engraved on woodblocks, historical administrative documents, old letters, and approximately 7,000 photographs. The Archives Division undertakes nationwide archival surveys and digitization programs. Staff expertise includes classification, cataloguing, digitization, intangible cultural heritage research, and translation of Dzongkha and Choekey materials. Notable archival responsibilities include the management of woodblock collections and the documentation of oral and intangible cultural heritage.

Access and Usage

The NLAB is open to researchers and the public. It provides microfilming services free of charge to Bhutanese institutions and individuals holding important documents, ensuring preservation of materials that owners retain. A museum was inaugurated at the Kawangjangsa facility in June 2021. Regular cultural programmes including calligraphy, traditional arts, dance, and music instruction are offered, particularly to young people during school vacations.