about KSAPL English

Photo and text by N.O.

Address: 2 Tom Redcam Drive, Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I.
Opening Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 am-6 pm, Sat. 9 am-5 pm,
Closed Sundays and Holidays

[General Information]

Kingston & St. Andrew Parish Library (KSAPL) is a public library serves over two Parishes which are Kingston - the capital city of Jamaica - and St. Andrew. The KSAPL has a Main Library and ten Branch Libraries. The Main Library was built in 1958 near business area in Kingston where Japanese embassy located, and extended in 1973. The building has 2 floors, fiction, serials and Reading Rooms (for adults and children) on the ground floor and Reference Library, Junior Library and Junior Computer Lab on the first floor. The total capacity is 19,212 sq. ft. and the seating capacity is 750 (includes Lecture/Exhibition area), which corresponds to Japanese prefectural library. According to Kingston & St. Andrew Parish Library Fact Sheet 2000 (Fact Sheet 2000) which is given by the KSAPL, the total book stock was 276,794 (Main 225,954 / Branches 50,840), the total book loan was 75,450 (Main 34,639 / BM 24,160 / Branches 16,651) and membership was 182,609 (Main 136,186 / BM 30,559 / Branches 15,864) till March 2000. The total population of two Parishes is about 688,400, which means a quarter of the population is the member of the KSAPL.

[Reference Library (1st Floor)] (Click the photo for bigger image)

According to the Fact Sheet 2000, Reference Library of Main Library consulted 287,085 reference questions. There are 2 computers online on the left side of reference counter for users to use internet and email, and a computer for word processing on the right side. The KSAPL has card catalogues (classified, author/title) for search at the moment, but will have OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) after finishing data entry. Also, to have its own web site, including web OPAC, is on the vision.

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[Book Mobile]
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Book Mobiles are not seen in big cities of Japan but here in Jamaica, they still take a big part of library services. The service points of BM now are 29 in Kingston. 2 of 3 Book Mobiles of the KSAPL are donated by Japanese government in 1980 and 1998, and look brand new as being well-kept.

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[Junior Library Computer Lab (1st Floor)]
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There is Computer Lab with 11 computers for children in Junior Library on the first floor. Some children were using computers under the instructions by a staff.

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[Magazine Shelf in Reading Room (Ground Floor)]
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Magazine shelf for "display" designed by a staff of the KSAPL. It is effectively designed for using wall of Reading Room and it looks great. The same type of shelf for picture books is in Junior Reading Room.

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[After Visiting...]
First of all, I would like to thank Mrs. Cuff, the Principal Librarian, and other staffs of the KSAPL for their kindness and hospitality. Mrs. Cuff showed me around the library and gave me information though she was very busy and the visit was without appointment in advance.
It has been more than two months, but I remember that day as it was yesterday. The visit was Friday afternoon, December 29th 2000, the library was packed with users in varied generations. Mrs. Cuff said they had 2,000 people on Saturdays. The KSAPL has 100 library staff including 13 librarians and members of 'Friends of the KSAPL'.
The Friends of the KSAPL is a group of dedicated volunteers, supporting the KSAPL. It has diverse activities and events for literacy-raising and fund-raising, according to the news letter given by the Chairperson, Mrs. Gordon-Gofton. It seems that the Friends takes a very important part in helping the KSAPL to achieve its goals.

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