ABOUT
Region: South America
Population: 558,368
Area: 163,820
GDP per capita, PPP: 14,967
(current international $)
Major Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Library Location Resources

Libraries (Google map)
LIBRARIES IN

The library system in Suriname is decentralized and is at different stages of development. The level of development varies by library, determined by its management and funding.

Suriname has one public library with several branches, academic libraries, special libraries, a school library system and community libraries. The public library is part of the Foundation Cultural Centre Suriname (CCS); academic libraries are part of the university or colleges of higher education; the special libraries are part of the private or public sector. The school library system, a section of the General Educational Library (Algemene Onderwijsbibliotheek), which operates administratively under the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture Department Library, coordinates school libraries in more than 90% of primary schools, secondary schools and high schools.

At present, there is the matter of the ageing of Suriname’s library staff. The two certified Librarians have had formal training in the Netherlands and will retire in less than two years. The management of most of the libraries is in the hands of library assistants who have been formally trained through different organisations, for instance the Foundation National Database Suriname. Most of the library personnel is trained on-the-job or has participated in a “Library Assistant” training programme, when available.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is responsible for the development of policy, which unfortunately is not yet in place. There is no national library policy, no legislation on librarianship, no national library. All libraries have their own agendas and their own library development policies. Libraries operate with funding from their managing institutions; none have their own budgets.

The Foundation Nationale Database Suriname acts as a Library association in Suriname. Because the country does not have a national library, the Foundation provides the infrastructure to centralize information of and about Suriname, which is stored in an online database. The database gives access to bibliographic data located throughout the libraries in Suriname, where much of the heritage information is not only unknown but also inaccessible to the general public. With this online database, the country’s cultural heritage is becoming more accessible and available to those who need information about Suriname. The staff of the libraries were trained to contribute to the database.

This Foundation also organizes educational activities such as formal trainings, lectures and courses on information-related topics.  At the beginning of 2020, the Library School of Suriname was established, which provides two training programmes (Library Assistant and Library Manager). The objective of the School is to secure the continuation of libraries through training of library managers and assistants. With this new group of library professionals the library field will be equipped with qualified staff to the benefit of the sector.



SDG STORIES: Stories Available
PERFORMANCE METRICS

SELECT METRIC VIEW

Totals Per 1M People*

Number of Libraries

Total Libraries with Internet Access

Total Staff

Volunteers

Registered Users

Total Visits

Total Physical Loans

Total Electronic Loans
CONTEXTUAL INDICATORS
Population and Geography
30 3.6
Median Age Population Density
people per sq km
Information and Infrastructure
No Data Available No Data Available
Internet UsersInternet Gender Gap
Poverty and Employment
No Data Available 7.2%
Poverty Rate
2011 PPP
Unemployment
% of labor force
Education and Literacy
No Data Available No Data Available
Adult Literacy Rate
% of people age 15+
Education Spending
% of GDP
Innovation and Skills
No Data Available No Data Available
ICT Skills:
Transfering Files
Research Spending
% of GDP
Organisations
National Library Associations
National Library
Policy Making Institutions
Library Support Organisations
Policy & Legislation
National Policy for Libraries
Library Law
Legal Deposit Law
Copyright Law
Library Exceptions & Limitations
Education & Events
Professional Qualification Requirements
Education
Professional Publications
Professional Events
PERFORMANCE METRICS
Learn more about the performance metrics
SELECT METRIC VIEW
Totals Per 1 M People
LEGEND
N/A' Not Applicable '-' No Data '0' Zero
Total National Academic Public Community School Other

Total Libraries

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Libraries with Internet Access

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Full-Time Staff

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Volunteers

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Registered User

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Physical Visits

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Physical Loans

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Electronic Loans

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CONTEXTUAL INDICATORS
Learn more about the contextual indicators
LEGEND
N/A' Not Applicable '-' No Data '0' Zero
Population Suriname Region World
Population Density
people per sq km
3.6
2016
31.8
2016
57.4
2016
Urban Population (World Bank) 66%
2016
80.1%
2016
54.3%
2016
Median Age (CIA) 30
2017
-
30
2017
Age Dependency Ratio, Youth (World Bank)
% of working age people
39.7%
2017
37.1%
2017
39.7%
2017
Age Dependency Ratio, Elderly (ITU World Telecoms Database)
% of working age people
10.4%
2017
12%
2017
13.3%
2017
Information Infrastructure Suriname Region World
Internet Users
% of population
-
-
-
Broadband Cost (ITU World Telecoms Database)
in USD
$24
2016
$21.3
2016
$20.1
2016
Phone Subscription Cost (ITU World Telecoms Database)
in USD
$12.7
2016
$13.6
2016
$9.5
2016
Internet Gender Gap (ITU World Telecoms Database)
% of Men Internet Users - % of Women Internet Users
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-
11.6%
2017
Access to Electricity (World Bank)
87.2%
2016
97.8%
2016
87.4%
2016
Economy, Poverty, and Employment Suriname Region World
GDP per Capita (World Bank)
current international $
14,967
2016
15,211
2016
16,215
2016
Poverty Rate (World Bank)
at $1.90 a Day, 2011 PPP
-
4.5%
2013
10.9%
2013
Inequality Index
0 is perfect equality, 100 is the complete inequality
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Unemployment (World Bank)
% of labor force
7.2%
2015
8.1%
2016
5.9%
2014
Inactive Youth (World Bank)
% of youth
-
21.8%
2016
-
Education and Literacy Suriname Region World
Students per Teacher (World Bank)
Ratio
14
2016
22
2016
24
2016
Adult Literacy Rate (World Bank)
% of people age 15+
-
93.5%
2016
86.2%
2016
Education Spending (World Bank)
% of GDP
-
5.3%
2014
4.9%
2014
Innovation and Skills Suriname Region World
Research Spending (World Bank)
% of GDP
-
0.8%
2014
2.2%
2015
ICT Skills: Programming
% of Population
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ICT Skills: Creating Presentations
% of Population
-
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ICT Skills: Finding, Downloading, Installing Software
% of Population
-
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ICT Skills: Transferring Files
% of Population
-
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-
ICT Skills: Sending Emails
% of Population
-
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-
ICT Skills: Using Copy/Paste
% of Population
-
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-
ICT Skills: Connect/Install Devices
% of Population
-
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-
ICT Skills: Using Math in Spreadsheets
% of Population
-
-
-
Organisations

National Library Associations

Foundation Nationale Database Suriname (NDS) / Stichting Nationale Database Suriname (NDS)

Suriname does not have a national Library. The Foundation NDS acts like an association without members. All activities are focused on the Surinamese library field. The NDS mobilizes the libraries to contribute to the online database of Suriname data and also organizes educational activities such as lecturers and training for professional development. Some of the major activities include:

  • Launch of the online database "Nationale Database Suriname" (2005)
  • Implementation of training programme "Library Assistant" (2010)
  • Hosting the 45th ACURIL Conference (the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries, ACURIL); Suriname filled the chairpersonship 2014-2015 (President ACURIL 2014-2015)
  • Establishing the Regional Library Association (2015)
  • Establishing the Library School Suriname (2020)

National Library

There is no national library in Suriname.

Policy Making Institutions

Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (Government) / Ministerie van Onderwijs, Wetenschappen en Cultuur (MINOWC)

This government institution is responsible for educational development, including science and different cultures in Suriname, preservation and conservation of the cultural heritage. The Ministry has the Department of Libraries, which operates as a library - the General Educational Library (Algemene Onderwijsbibliotheek).

Library Support Organisations

There are no library support organisations in Suriname.

Policy & Legislation

National Policy for Libraries

There are no national policy documents for libraries in Suriname.

Library Law

There is no library law in Suriname.

Legal Deposit Law

There is no legal deposit law in Suriname.

Copyright Law & Library Exceptions and Limitations

Copyright law / Wet Auteurswet 1913
Library Exceptions and Limitations

There are no specific provisions in Surinamese law for library activities, although it does allow for limited copying for personal research and educational purposes, subject to payment of compensation. There are also various possibilities for news reporting.

Education & Events

Professional Qualification Requirements

Suriname strives to strengthen the professional qualification requirements and the formal library training offer within the field. Librarians are required to have one of the following - diploma "Librarian", diploma "Libary Assistant", or certificate "Library Employee". Other staff members, who have a high school diploma, are trained on-the-job.

Education

The LIS education system in Suriname is irregular. Training is provided when needed. Over the years more than seven library training programmes were organized by several institutions:

  • Diploma Training "Library Assistant" offered three times the Foundation Cultural Center Suriname, one time by the Foundation Documentary Information programs Suriname (DIOS), and one time by the Foundation National Database Suriname (this last training was sponsored by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Suriname).
  • Diploma Training Postgraduate "Library Assistant" offered once  at the Foundation Cultural Center Suriname.
  • Diploma Training "Library Management" (once) at the Foundation DIOS.
  • Diploma Training "Information Specialist" at the Foundation National Database Suriname in collaboration with GO Training, school for information in the Netherlands. This training was sponsored by the Twinning Facility Suriname;
  • At present,  the newly established Library School Suriname offers two library programs: "Library Assistant" and "Library Manager".

Professional Publications

There are no professional publications for librarians in Suriname.

Professional Events

There are no professional events for librarians in Suriname.