National Archive and Library Agency NALA (Ethiopia)

Overview

The National Archive and Library Agency (NALA), also known in Amharic as Wemezekir (ወመዘክር), is the national archival and library institution of Ethiopia, located in Addis Ababa. It operates under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and serves as the primary repository for Ethiopia's documentary heritage, providing research and public information services to scholars, academics, and the general public.

History and Founding

The institution was established in 1944 under Emperor Haile Selassie I as a public library, beginning service with a donation of books from the emperor himself. For decades it operated under varying administrative arrangements and names. In 1976, Proclamation No. 50/76 granted the institution the legal right to collect copies of every work published in Ethiopia. In 1999, Proclamation No. 179/1999 formally reconstituted it as the Ethiopian National Archives and Library Agency, giving it a nationwide mandate and a new institutional structure. The archives component was established in 1979 and began with materials transferred from the Ministry of the Grand Palace and related royal institutions.

Collections and Holdings

NALA holds approximately 7,430 archival records, over 16,000 books, and some 15,000 microfilm copies. Its archival collections include ancient and historical manuscripts dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, as well as official government records. Some of its manuscript holdings are registered by UNESCO as part of Ethiopia's documentary heritage. The institution serves over 130,000 users annually. Holdings include printed materials, audiovisual archives, manuscripts, and an integrated library, archive, and records management system (ILARMS).

Notable Materials

Among the most significant holdings are historical manuscripts recognized by UNESCO, correspondence of Ethiopian emperors including Tewodros, Yohannes IV, and Menelik II, and extensive diplomatic and administrative records reflecting the country's territorial and political evolution. The archives also hold materials from Ethiopia's Haile Selassie-era government, the Derg period, and the post-1991 Federal Democratic Republic.

Access and Usage

NALA offers research services, reading services, training, microfilm reading, audio-visual recording, and consultancy to researchers, scholars, academics, writers, and the public. An integrated online catalog system (ILARMS) supports access to library and archival holdings. The agency also operates an e-archive accessible via its website.