Wemezeker (ILARMs) Online Service Portal NALA

About the Portal

The Wemezeker Online Service Portal (also referred to as the ILARMs portal) is the primary online search and access platform of the Ethiopian National Archive and Library Agency (NALA). It is built on the Integrated Library, Archive and Record Management System (ILARMS) and provides researchers, scholars, and the general public with online access to NALA's library and archival holdings.

History and Background

The name "Wemezeker" (ወመዘክር in Amharic) refers to the library and archive service of the Ethiopian state, a concept originating with the institution's 1944 founding under Emperor Haile Selassie I. The agency was formally restructured by Proclamation No. 179/1999 into a national institution under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The online portal represents the agency's digital transformation efforts to serve researchers remotely.

Collections and Services

The portal allows users to search across NALA's broad holdings, including all archive data, archived items, audio-visual collections, e-books, e-magazine items, e-manuscript items, e-microfilm items, e-newspaper items, and multimedia resources. The physical collections at NALA comprise thousands of archival records including ancient manuscripts and royal correspondence, as well as books, periodicals, and microfilm materials. NALA serves over 130,000 users annually.

Access and Usage

The portal is accessible online 24 hours a day. Physical library reading takes place Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Sunday 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM). Archive reading is available Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, at NALA's facility in Addis Ababa.